Thank Heaven for Priscila...................

Priscila had a Birthday this last week!

I just want to say "Thank Heavens for Priscila and a Mother and Father that are willing to sacrifice and let her come to America, become a citizen, marry Mac, and have soon to be 4 beautiful children and give up so much to help Mac get through school." Thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you.... Zivic Family for this great blessing to our family. I can not even imagine what it would be like to see your daughter leave on an airplane for a country far away from Argentina, knowing it may be years before you see her and her family again. It was hard enough to send Mac off on his mission those years ago for just 2 years. It was also hard to leave them in New Jersey so far away for Mac's school. Here is a picture [though a few years old]of Priscila's family:

I hope you had a wonderful and fun Birthday:

I love you and miss you so much.

I could not have asked for a more beautiful and loving daughter in law.

Thanks for loving Mac!

Thanks for a beautiful family as well!

HUGS!

Special Day for Lindsey......she is 8.....Great! Great! Great!

Saturday was a special day for Lindsey.
She was Baptised by her dad.

Her Grandma Mary bought her a beautiful confirmation dress.

She also got her own set of Scriptures with her name on it.
It was a wonderful event where her Aunt Amanda gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.
Her sister Emma sang "I know He lives". [Touching]
But the best part was when Lindsey was conformed by her dad.
He gave her a beautiful blessing.
What a day to remember......

Congratulations Lindsey. Saturday you got the best "Gift" of all.

You will never be alone.

California here we come.....and there we go....!

Doug and I took a quick trip to California to take Robin, Campbell, and Penny home. We have really enjoyed having them with us for the last month. Thanks Nate, for being willing to share them with us. We decided in the end to take my RAV4. She did pretty good. We put on 1976 miles. Going down we were pretty tight:

The kiddos were amazingly good. We drove straight thru with an hour stop in St. George at the water park. They loved getting their feet wet, even if it was 106 degrees. I have had enough McDonalds during the last 4 days that I don't want to see another one for a while!!! On the way down we saw this amazing lightning storm. I tried really hard to catch the "strike" but the clouds were impressive.

Just before the sun went down there was this beautiful sunset.

I've always wondered what Robins "Home" looks like. Here is a picture in the complex. Each tower is 12 floors and that is where Robin and Nate's apartment is. Not sure how many there are, but at least 37. There are also "town houses" in the complex. It is a very secure area and right across from a big park with several playgrounds. She saw Gwen Stefani and her kids there one day. Robin and Nate will be here thru September.

Kiddy-corner from her Apt. is "The Grove". It is a mall where there have been movie star sightings. It is the place where Mario Lopez films "Extra". We visited the "Farmers Market" and ate breakfast at "Johnny Rockets".

Saturday Robin, Kids, Doug and I did a "Drive By" on Hollywood Blvd. It was very crowded....saw lots of stars...the kind on the sidewalk. The whole thing was surreal and reminded me of the " large and spacious building dream" if you get my drift. Later in the evening we all went to dinner at a hamburger joint. The food was excellent. It was by the "Tar Pits" and "Ralph's" which is Robin's grocery store. I took this picture:

Note: Nate went to school and he was a little early and so he went over to "Golds Gym" which is by his school and he had a "celebrity" sighting. Will Ferrel...Elf....you know. He was much too polite to bug him but not everyone was that way..... Sunday Robin and I had a nice walk early in the AM and then Doug and I packed up and left for home. Thanks Robin for the tour and the hospitality. Love you so much. Doug and I decided to take the loooong way home. We drove up the Pacific Coast Highway [Hwy 1] for a ways and I took this picture of Doug

We wove our way up to Santa Maria . This was an hour delay as our "GPS" took us on an unscheduled tour of the "wine" country! I decided to take a picture of the vines:

It was beautiful farm country so the delay was not that bad. We took the 166 to Maricopa and then Bakersfield and then took the 178 which is a beautiful mountain pass that goes to Lake Isabella and then to the 395. This pass was so beautiful. It reminded me of Ogden Canyon and the North Ogden divide combined

This is "Lake Isabella" from the road. We did not stop much. Once we hit the 395 we headed North. Just before the sun went down there was this beautiful cloud formation:

We made it to "Bishop" California which is the "Mule Capitol of the world". It reminded me of Pinedale, Wyoming a little recreation/cowboy town we stayed in on a hiking trip. We stayed in Bishop that night and then headed up the 395 until we got to the 167 and then took off there and made our way to Fallen, Nevada and then you know the rest of the story......

It was a great trip and a nice diversion from normal life. We lived on gas station food and when we could not look at Golden Arches any more we opted for "Jack in the box". I have spent this morning vacuuming sunflower seeds [Doug's keep-me-awake snack] from my car. Now I have to work on the ugly bugs all over it. Life goes back to normal tomorrow.....ahhh

Catching up.....Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Carly and Emma!

While we were gone on our trip, Carly and Emma had a Birthday.

On the 25th of July we celebrated at Oaklawn Park in North Ogden before we left with a picnic, birthday song, and gifts. Then the kids played on the play ground, and we watched as Aaron and Mason practiced fielding for Baseball. We saw a deer run across the baseball fieild, and were eventually moved out by windy and rainy weather. But at least we were able to say "Happy Birthday"!! Later Carly, Emma, Holly, Analyn and I went to the Rodeo. It was a really great Rodeo, with lots of "Bull mischief". It was a fun night. Sorry, no pictures, I have a big "L" on my forehead.
Hey, I found pics some on my computer. This is Emma at Easter and Carly and Farrah a couple of years ago. Veronica took the one of C and F.

Hope Your Birthday was AMAZING!!!!

LOVE YOU BOTH!!

FERRIN FAMILY REUNION

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLIE!!

She would have been 100 years old this year.

I love this picture of my mom. It was her senior picture. In her Weber yearbook she wrote "I look like I was going to bawl."

We had a wonderful display table with things she had made, and letters she had written. Also a beautiful black dress that was hers and one she had made for a dance festival or "All Faces West" that looked like a pioneer dress. An unfinished table cloth that Milo took home for his wife Connie to finish. Aprons, blankets, and wash rags made into baby clothes for shower gifts. Books she had read to my kids as children. Depression dishes, her diary when she was 16 years old. Her high school year book, and an example of a doily that she made many of. There were life histories, and aprons....she did so may things in her life time.

We gathered pictures of Mother and Nikki put together a wonderful DVD with old songs like "Turn around" by Rosemary Clooney, "I've got a crush on you" by Frank Sinatra, "Sisters, Sisters" Rosemary Clooney, What a Wonderful Life " by Louis Armstrong. Also "Always" and "I'll be there". It was very touching. Much Love to Nikki and all of my kids with help for the reunion. Here is a sample of some of the pictures that were on the DVD:

Mom is the one on the right. These are her friends from Provo.

They remained good friends their whole lives.

A couple of pictures of mom and dad when they were dating.

Mom's engagement picture.

This is one of my favorite pictures of mom.

Family picture without Ray who was serving in Korea in the Airforce.

I think this is the last family picture we had taken all together.

The following is my all time new favorite picture of mom:

Well that is just a sampling of the pictures used in the DVD.

We had a picture taken with most of the people that came to the reunion. Some had left before pictures were taken. We had about approximately 50 attend.

Siblings Ray, Carolyn, Rosalie, and Colleen

The gang of Ferrins

Is it me, or is Carly the only one paying any attention to the photographer which was Doug by the way. Oh well, you know how it is a family reunions.

And last but not least, a picture of the Wilson Branch with our matching shirts:

First a picture from years past.

This was taken the year mom was honored as the Pleasant View Founders day Grand Marshall of the parade. Every sibling's family had these shirts made to honor her. This year 2011 our family decided to bring back the shirts:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

WE LOVE YOU!!

More July 2011 Stuff

WHAT A BLESSING.....

BROOKE'S THAT IS.

Brooke was blessed the first Sunday in July by her Dad.

It was a wonderful day with lots of family celebrating

Beautiful baby girl.

The next day we celebrated the 4th of July

Eden style with the only Parade in Town....

Eden Town that is.

Where else can you find a parade where the Fire Department vehicles and the tail end of the parade [our own UHP patrol residence] is longer than the whole parade. Here are a few pics from that parade. The kids love it. They feel like they are big time.

Wolthuis Kids

Farrah's 1st year on a Bike.

Also in July.....

A visitor from the past....

As mentioned before Doug Retired.

This is Jerry who was a fireman with Doug and Kay

years ago at the Eden Fire Station.

He came to visit Doug.

Doug got his Axe from the Union for his years of service.

Last but not least,

the FERRIN REUNION

It was my family's year to be in charge.

We had a "Happy Birthday Lillie" theme.

We even bought her a cake and had balloons.

We gathered pictures from everyone of mother.

I will share some of them in my next post.

It is amazing that we have so many pictures of her.

She was after all born in 1911.

And that is where we are so far in July and it is not even the 15th yet!

Stay tuned....

Crazy Weekend!!

I had a very busy weekend. Party after Party after Alka Seltzer!

But first the good part.

I went on a walk early Friday morning and this is what I saw:

My neighbor at the end of our road has the most beautiful yard. One of my favorite parts is this ground cover she has planted. It changes colors throughout the year. It was especially beautiful Friday Morning. I also saw two ducks fly out from the ditch just 3 feet from me. As they flew away, their wings looked transparent in the sun. Then I heard and then saw two Sand Hill Cranes fly over my head. I could hear an owl in the distant pine tree, and doves hovering on the lines above my head. What a glorious morning. I did not think it could get better.

But then I took a bike ride and saw this:

What a sweet treat of summer............

Thank you Spring/you were wet/but look what you left behind.

Candy for the eyes.......and we all know how much I love Candy!!