My Missionary

It's amazing how time can fly!  I've kept in contact with family via Facebook and have forgotten to update this blog.

The big news of this year - Jeremy submitted his papers (actually an online application) for his mission.

Then he received his mission call.  On July 3, 2013 he received that big white envelope from the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints.  He didn't open it until that evening when we were at his Grandma's house with cousins, aunts and uncles all together.

He is called to the Oregon Eugene Mission and is to report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo on September 11, 2013 - the same day, it turns out, as the other soon to be missionary from our ward - Brandon Morris (who is going to the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission).

His mission boundaries include a little bit of northern California and the corner tip of Nevada, but mostly the south west portion of Oregon. 

We have spent the last few months purchasing the things he needs for his mission, planning family get togethers, practicing a musical number for the farewell and packing up his room.  Hours and days go by in a seeming blink of an eye.

One of those days whizzing by was the very special day that Jeremy went through the temple for the first time on Saturday, August 31, 2013.  We invited family and friends from our ward to attend with us and we had quite the turnout - Pam & Troy, Jen & Neils, his Grandma & Grandpa, aunts Karen & Bebe, and from our Ward - Bishop and Sister Aubrey, Dale & Wendy Winger, Dennis & Katrina Webber, Rachel Tueller, Jess Desmond, Neil Jarman and Brandon Morris.  Melissa didn't want to be left out, so she came with us and did baptisms while we were there!  What a blessing to have so many people who care about and support Jeremy.  It was a very spiritual and peaceful time.

The following Tuesday was our youth night to do baptisms at the temple and Jeremy was able to come and perform some of the baptisms!

Now we look forward to his farewell on Sunday, September 8th.  I hope I can get through the song without crying!

Merry Christmas Wishes 2012

Halloween 2012

This year for Halloween, Melissa was in middle school so I didn't think I had to worry about costumes any more.  Wrong!  Jeremy reminded me that they still wear costumes to school all through high school, so we had to come up with a costume for Melissa.  Well, we thought and we fretted and came up with nothing until the night before Halloween.  Finally she agreed to a Hawaiian shirt, lei and straw hat - normal clothes yet still a costume of sorts.

Jeremy (no longer in school, so a costume was not entirely necessary) found his costume idea and couldn't resist making his own costumer this year.  And I still have to come up with costumes for myself every year because Herriman City employees do that (besides, I get a $10 gift card if I dress up to entertain the residents).  I have come up with a new costume every year for six years now, so I figured I could start to recycle and wore the witch outfit mom made me many years ago.

Labor Day Fun

Thanks to Jen for planning a get-together for the McFarlane girls and families.  We had fun with those who could come and missed those who could not.  Here are some snapshots from the day.

(Anthony was there too for a while, unfortunately I didn't get a picture before he had to leave for a show.)

Lagoon Again!

Our company summer party this year was at Lagoon, to the children's delight.  This year Melissa was much more brave.  We had already gone to Lagoon on my birthday in June, and she had tried a few new rides and had a lot of fun.  So this time she tried even more rides.

She rode the Rocket, the Jet Star, the Air Race, even the Samurai!!!  But she just couldn't bring herself to ride the Colossus.

We were also able to get half price tickets for any family members who wanted to come.  Some of Anthony's sisters and their kids were able to come and have fun with us.  Jeremy and Melissa were delighted to have cousins to ride with.

(Melissa and two of her aunts.)

We even had a couple of extra tickets to dinner that Jessica and Nate couldn't use, so two of the cousins were able to eat with us.

It wasn't very crowded, so we were able to take some time and go over to Pioneer Village and walk around.  Melissa had never seen any of it.  She was not very impressed, but I was amazed at the things they had on display.  I had a very nice time there.  Her favorite thing was getting ice cream.

4th of July 2012

We celebrated the 4th of July with our usual tradition of taking a picnic dinner to the Sandy City promenade. Rose and her family met with us to share in the celebration.

We watched the parade - we managed to get some bleacher seats which after a while were fairly shady.  The weather was warm, but there was a light breeze which made the evening very enjoyable.

We enjoyed our dinner and played some games and listed to the concert and basically hung out until the fireworks.

Happy Birthday America!

Melissa's First Trip to the Temple

Melissa turned 12 in April and thus became eligible to enter Young Women and to go to the Temple.  Her first opportunity to do baptisms for the dead came this week when our Young Women's group went for our Tuesday activity.

We went to the Jordan River Temple.  When she was finished, I asked her how she felt.  She said, "When can we do it again?"

We only had two other girls come to do baptisms, but it was the first time for one of those girls too.  It was a special day for all of us.

I'm glad she has a desire to go back to the temple.  What a blessing to be able to go with her for her first time and watch see her doing baptisms in the temple.

Birthday at Lagoon

There was a drawing at work for a free family pass to Lagoon which was good for one of only three days - one of which happened to be my birthday.  I thought how lucky it would be if my name were drawn, then I could take my family to Lagoon for my birthday!  And lucky for me, my name was drawn!

I took the day off work, and Jessica was able to come after she got off work around 1 pm.  We packed a picnic dinner and went to Lagoon on Wednesday - my birthday.  The weather had turned cold and rainy on Monday, but it was supposed to be nicer on Wednesday and around 65°.  I decided to bring a jacket just in case it wasn't quite that warm and for after the sun went down.  The rest of my family wasn't so smart - they wore shorts and t-shirts and refused to bring jackets because "they would be a pain to carry around."  By the end of the day they were a bit chilly.

Well it was a little cooler but lovely weather - around 60° and no rain.  There were also hardly any people there in the middle of  the week.  We were able to enjoy all the good rides with hardly a wait.  Other rides we walked right on.  The longest wait was for the Rocket which all my kids rode, Jeremy went 3 times!

We even rode some of the rides we usually don't have time for, like the merry-go-round and a mini-version of the Tidal Wave called the Kontiki.  We even rode the train - my kids had no idea there was a little zoo at Lagoon.  It was so much fun!

Here are some more of our fun memories.

 

There was a new ride this year called "Air Race" which Jeremy was the only one brave enough to try.  It swung the plane full of people around (upside down) while the whole ride went around.  Too much for me!

 We ate our little picnic dinner at one of the many covered tables provided around the park.

Melissa's favorite ride turned out to be the old wooden roller coaster.  She rode it 4 times!  She got Jeremy and her Dad to go with her (I prefer the Colossus).

Jeremy's favorite ride was the Samurai.

Anthony's favorite ride was definitely NOT the Wicked.  On the corkscrew part his phone dropped out of his pocket!  He had to go to security who found it for him.  They said they have bark chips under there because people lose stuff all the time.  It was shaken up, the sim card was loose, but when he put it back together it was okay!

Jessica took a bunch of pictures with her cell phone too.  Thanks Jessica, these are awesome!

It was wonderful to have my whole family together, not arguing, having a fun time.  What a great birthday!