June

BIRTHDAYS-
I love that Mike and I celebrate our birthdays so close together.  His fell on a Sunday, and it just happened that his 2 sisters were in Utah and able to come with their families and help us celebrate.  We had a cookout followed by a rousing game of beach volleyball.  It was great fun.  I love when Teresa and Brad's kids are around because they're always up for games.

For my birthday, I started off the day with a hike to the windcaves with a new friend in my ward- Millie, then I prepared lunch for 4 friends (I count Lindsey as not only a niece, but also a friend!) and enjoyed that on the backyard patio.  It was lovely. Cam and I then went to the matinee of "Captain America- Winter Soldier" since he hadn't seen it yet, then Mike and Mom joined us for dinner at Olive Garden.  When we got home, Bundy was over working on our sprinkler system, so Cam played with the girls for awhile while I enjoyed sitting on the swing chatting w/ Kylee.  It was a wonderful way to turn 53. 

MISSION CALL!
Cam submitted his mission papers on June 5 and has his call on June 18th!  It was like a dream because we didn't expect it so soon, so only checked the mail as an afterthought on the 18th as he and I were ready to drive to SLC for him to drop me off at the airport for me to go to Ft. Collins to stay with Kylee for 6 days.  When we made the shocking discovery, we changed our plans for shopping and lunch on the way to the airport and instead assembled those we could in 1/2 hour and opened the call.
                                                                                    (These were his mission application photos)
I was so nervous that I couldn't even imagine how he felt.  The anticipation was so fun and it was so exciting when he read the words "Illinois, Chicago mission, Spanish speaking."  He doesn't leave until November 5, so our hopes of him leaving in time to get back into fall semester 2016 were dashed, but that's OK- everything happens for a reason.  He was very happy to discover he'll report to the Mexico MTC so will get to experience living in Mexico for 6 weeks.  It was a great, great event, and I'm so happy that his friends Tyson and Parker, my friend Janae, Mom, the Skeens and Bundy's were able to be there for the occasion- as well as Brody on Skype from Switzerland, Ky on speaker phone from Ft. Collins, and Jess on facetime from Lubbock (or so I thought at the time....)

 (the photo in the bottom right is perhaps hard to read--- it's just all our guesses for where he would go- no one guessed it right!)

FT. COLLINS-
The excitement continued for the rest of the day as Cam, Tyson and Parker dropped me off at the airport, and although I was scheduled to arrive in Denver at 7:20, I actually didn't get there until 10:30!  There was a big rain storm in Denver, so our plane had to land in Colorado Springs and wait for it to pass.  Imagine my surprise when Kylee finally picked me up (and there's a lot more to this story- if you haven't heard what it is, I'll be happy to tell you in person... it's too long to go into here) and after we drove off, being surprised by Jessica who had been hiding in the back of Ky's Subaru.  I swore I wouldn't allow myself to be surprised by her this year, but she did it again!  I was completely shocked, but so happy that she could join us for 6 days of girl time in Ft. Collins, then come to Logan with us for another 4 days.  We had such a productive and fun time and I feel so blessed for the time spent with my 2 wonderful daughters.  We helped Ky organize her nursery as she hadn't taken the time to go through and put away everything she had gotten from 2 baby showers.  She had made a "little" chart full of stuff she wanted to get done before the baby comes, and we helped her get through a lot of them.

Of course much of our time was spent shopping for, thinking about, talking about, and eating what we all love--- food! It was even more intensified with an 8 month pregnant woman in the mix!  Ky treated us to some decadent desserts at The Chocolate Cafe one night in Old Town, and another morning we ate out for breakfast at a cool place in Old Town. 

Two of Ky's best friends, and a girl from her ward threw her a darling shower one night that was very well attended.  She has certainly been spoiled by her many friends, family and co-workers.  What a great thing showers are for first time mothers!

We did some shopping, went to a movie, watched a couple movies at home, went on many walks and a hike (not Ky) and did some deep cleaning and organizing.  We tried to be at Ky's beck and call!

BACK IN LOGAN-
We drove to Logan on Tuesday the 24th, and enjoyed a cookout at Second Dam w/ the Bundy's that evening.

The next night we helped celebrate cute Lydia's 5th birthday.  Lindsey went all out (no surprise there) for her Phantom of the Opera themed party. 

Other things we did before Jess had to leave to go back to Texas were:  going out to lunch with Freda and Stacie, worked out, went to the temple, did some shopping, watched a movie, had several cook outs, and played Rook.  I also helped Mike do some yard work all day on Saturday.  I planted flowers, spread bark, and cleaned the patio.  Our yard is finally looking amazing!

Another bit of excitement resulted from the lure and capture of a squirrel that had been destroying some items out on our back patio.  First he chewed a huge hole in a blanket, then a beach towel, then finally a pillow.  I didn't know for sure what was causing the damage, until I saw him (or her?) sitting on top of the pillow chewing away.  So with the help of the Skeens cage, we caught the critter (after several failed attempts where he somehow got to the food but didn't get caught) and humanely (although I really didn't want to because I was so mad at my ruined things) released him into the wild. 
                    (The bottom left pic is some delicious snowcones me and the girls got at Daysie's snowcone shack.  Delicious!)

Monday night we had the Lakes, (who had just arrived in town for their summer visit) Mom, Skeens and Searles over for dinner, kickball, and beach VB.  It was a great evening.  What's better than family, summertime, good food and beach VB?

ELDER JENSEN-
I'm ending the month the best way possible... with pictures of my missionary!  From top left around:  Jake and Elder DeMille on P-day- Jake burning a shirt on hump day- the hump day shirt Grandma Freda sent him- doing service at a members... it involved a leaf blower... (was any work accomplished??)
I asked Jake for a vertical picture of him to put in a frame and this is what I got.... he cracks me up.

Happily I got this one as well... I sure miss this boy.

MISC-
I did a makeover on the cushions and pillows on this swing we've had forever.  I've been ready to get rid of it at several times over the years.  It's found the perfect home now, and I couldn't love it more!
Before...

and after!

My BFF Janae went to London and brought me (among other things) this delicious bar of chocolate.

Cam was following me home from a store one day on Jake's scooter, so I took this picture.