Weekend Partying!

Jen turned 35 on August 18.  We had an adult date night kickball game to celebrate.  The next morning we went boating/skiiing with our good friends the Larsens, then down to Sedona to hike with Jen's dad.  We were pretty sore and tired by Sunday. :)

Duncan earned his Tenderfoot at the Court of Honor.

1st Day of School!

Another year has started!  Brynne is a big 4th grader at Knoles now, and Maren a 1st grader.  They both have great teachers, and Brynne was lucky enough to get her best friend in her class AGAIN!  Maren had a hard time letting me leave the first morning back, but was fine by lunch time, playing with old and new friends.  Duncan is in middle school as a 6th grader at Basis.  He had a rough first day but was able to get into his favorite elective, art, so he's feeling much better.  He's also excited to be at the same school as his cousins.                     

Princess Eva with the Knoles Knight!

Front of school-Brynne wanted a pretty background!

Anniversary Trip!

Men vs Ocean.

Our good friends invited us to go to San Diego with them the first weekend in August.  We drove over Friday morning, went to the beach that afternoon, and ate at a nice Chinese restaurant for dinner.  Then Saturday we went to Balboa Park-hit 5 museums-then ate Hawaiian food for dinner and went to the San Diego temple.

Royce and Brady-the first ones in.

"Let's go throw our wives in!"

Aircraft carrier off Coronado Island.

Jonathan Seagull-an inspiration to the world.

We fed crackers to these guys and they gagged them down whole:)

  View of Coronado Island in back.

Balboa Park!

Natural History Museum: Royce and a Sloth!

Jen and a Mammoth.

Photography Museum.

Roxanne and Brady in front of the best Poi Pond outside of Japan!

Same pond, different couple.

Giant organ you could hear all over the park.

Air and Space Museum - Royce's fav airplane.

San Diego Temple

R and J in front of San Diego Temple.

We ended up staying at the temple so long that the sun set and we were able to get some great after-dark pictures as well.  Such a beautiful temple...much like a fairy-book castle.  There was a great spirit there.

The grand front entrance.  (Royce took this picture.)

We ran into some friends from Flag...small world!

The temple at night with its lights on. (Royce)

Another favorite pic Royce took....can you find the bride-to-be?!

Spiders, Snakes, Scorpions...Oh My!

Wild Man Phil was at the Branch Library last week...the kids loved it and got to see and pet many creepy things!

Princess Fashion Ball!

Brynne's cousin Nicole is spending the week with us, and the first day here they created a fashion show.  Enjoy!

June 2011

Happy Father's Day Royce!
Learn more about Royce from his kids:

Dad is...36 years old (Duncan), 35 (Brynne), 18 (Maren)!
You taught me how to...paint (D), read my scriptures (M).
I want to...draw just like you (B), paint like you (D), play just like you (M)!
I love how you...are funny (B).
You love to...make songs; Your favorite band is...U2 (B).
You can play...the guitar and piano (B).
Your favorite drink is...Dr. Pepper; favorite food...ribs (B).
You like to watch...football...on tv (B).
You can fix...anything!  You use...your tools (B).
You love to...paint in your free time (B). 
You are...5 feet tall (D), 6 feet tall (B), really tall (M)!
It is funny when you...make jokes (D, M).
I think it's funny when you...sing "Families Are So Special" (B-a family joke!)
You are great at cooking....fried rice; it tastes REALLY good; you like to put....onions in it (B).
You work at...Freeman Peterson Dental Office; You...clean people's teeth (B).
You have a...jeep car; I am allowed to...eat in the car; I am NOT allowed to...have muddy feet in the car (B).
If you were a Super Hero, you would be...Captain Humor Pants because you are funny! (B)

WE LOVE YOU ROYCE/DAD!

Eva playing games on Cole's phone at Grandpa's!

My father's dad, Eugene Porter, passed away Wednesday, June 14.  I took the kids down for the viewing at my dad's house in Mesa where I got to see my siblings and cousins.  We spent Monday playing, swimming, and visiting with family.

Visiting Great G. Peterson after swimming w/ Lin's family.

Maren climbing at the park.

Eva on slide.

Duncan checking out huge tree!

My cousins at cemetery.

The next weekend, Royce and I drove up to La Verkin, Utah for Grandpa Porter's funeral. We enjoyed the siblings' remembrances of Grandpa and my dad's testimony, as well as Grandma Mitchell's testimony and words of love to her kids and Lou's kids.  I had a wonderful time visiting with extended family at my Uncle Sandy and Aunt Deanna's home afterwards.

Uncles Scott, Sandy, Ed; Cousins Rachel, Jesse.

Dad and kids.

All my dad's siblings and spouses.

Posing at uncle's house.

Hanging out at U. Sandy's.

The day after the funeral we hiked the Lower Emerald Pool trail in Zion's with Dad and Kari.  Then they left for Vegas, and we hiked down to the Virgin River and played in the cold, cold water for a couple hours until we had to head home.

Royce had a gig in Williams the last week of school.  My dad was in town, so he and the kids stayed up late eating junk food and watching a movie while I went to hear Royce with a friend.  Dad also took the kids to a movie Saturday and we all went out after.  On Sunday, the kids sat with him while he let Royce and I sit by ourselves during Sacrament.  We all got spoiled and wish Grandpa would move up here permanently!   

June 9!  Last Day of School!!

Heading off to school-free hat day!

Kindergarten Graduation later that morning!

Duncan and friends miniature golfing.

Party at Bear Paw after school!

The girls all trying their hand at golf!

April 2011

Easter Weekend, we had Stake Conference.  Elder Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve came and Elder Cook of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  It was very good.  After the Priesthood and Adult Sessions Saturday, Royce and I went to Outback with the Strands and Larsens, some good friends of ours.  We had Easter Dinner with the same after S.C. on Sunday.

On Monday, Christy and Jose came for dental work.  The kids LOVE to see the triplets!  They helped feed and play with them.  After naps, we went on a walk to the duck pond.  The kids road their bikes and Dunc and Brynne went to the rope swing.  Grandpa and Grandma Mitchell dropped by on their way back to Utah to see the kiddos.


We had an Easter egg hunt that night and did FHE using Easter eggs telling the story of Jesus's death and resurrection. I'm so grateful for the Savior, his selflessness and love, his example and Atonement and Resurrection.

I left for Women's Conference Wednesday and came back Friday night to attend the funeral of a close friend's mother on Saturday.  Royce held down the fort while I was gone, and I enjoyed a nice trip with good friends, good classes, and semi-good sleep!  My favorite part was probably Sis. Julie B. Beck's talk-the RS General President.  She is amazing...she knows who she is and why she is here.  I LOVE listening to her.

Family Pics!

January 2011

January was a blur....as Januaries always are...I only took one pic (of Duncan in the spelling bee) and it didn't even turn out...so guess your stuck with just a summary.

WE....rang in the New Year with Vaughn and Tammy's family playing, talking, checking out Royce's 3D tv, and watching the latest Twilight movie.  New Year's morning we continued our tradition of eating at Cracker Barrell and then took the kids to see Tangled at the theater.

DUNCAN was in the school spelling bee....smarty pants....and bought an axe, to go with his sword, to play with Will and Henry and their swords and weapons.  We are having an arms race over here in Flag.  Royce helped him build a shield out of an old, large piece of tree bark to protect himself!

ROYCE (not to be outdone by his son and nephews) bought a gun and went shooting twice already.

BRYNNE lost a tooth, Jen accidentally threw it away, and the Tooth Fairy wouldn't pay Brynne until Brynne apologized for denying the fairy's existence.  Duncan also lost a tooth and learned from Brynne's lesson to not offend the fairy kind.  They were both rewarded handsomely for their teeth.

MAREN asked Dad to save the wishbone from dinner one night..she broke the bone with Brynne and won...later that day when Royce asked her if her wish had come true, she declared angrily, "It's not true...none of it's true!"  I asked her what she had wished for and she replied, "To be a princess!"  (To be a princess to Maren means no chores whatsoever and servants brings you everything  while you sit in front of your vanity singing and putting makeup on.)  Royce tried to tell her she really was a princess because she was a daughter of God but didn't get very far because "REAL princesses don't have to do chores!"

EVA started potty-training herself...she pointed to her bum and said "poo-poo", so we put her on, and now she tells us every time she needs to poop.  I am loving it! She is also learning a new word everyday, including: apple, rice, blue, yellow, baby, poo-poo, etc. 

JEN set a goal to finish decorating one room this winter and has made great strides with that.  I'll take a pic of it and post it soon.  It's looking good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!