Need a good laugh today?

We Have a Baby!!

Ty Danford Evans was born this morning at 5:27 am, after a 13 hour labor. Poor Chels! He weighs 7 lbs 1 oz and is 19.5 inches long. He is, of course, beautiful! I got to hold him this morning when he was only 2 hours old.

Grateful for Pioneer Ancestry

President David O. McKay told of the experience of some of those early saints in the Martin handcart company. Many of these early converts had emigrated from Europe and were too poor to buy oxen or horses and a wagon. They were forced by their poverty to pull handcarts containing all of their belongings across the plains by their own brute strength. President McKay related an occurrence which took place some years after the heroic exodus:

“A teacher, conducting a class, said it was unwise ever to attempt, even to permit them [the Martin handcart company] to come across the plains under such conditions.”

Then President McKay quoted an observer who was present in that class: “Some sharp criticism of the Church and its leaders was being indulged in for permitting any company of converts to venture across the plains with no more supplies or protection than a handcart caravan afforded.

An old man in the corner … sat silent and listened as long as he could stand it, then he arose and said things that no person who heard him will ever forget. His face was white with emotion, yet he spoke calmly, deliberately, but with great earnestness and sincerity.

“In substance he said, ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there, too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? …

“ ‘I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it.’ ”

He continues: “ ‘I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.“ ‘Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.’ ”

Makes you proud to be an American

Hoorah for Den - he did it again - winning first place in his age group in Provo's Freedom Festival's 5K. He runs less than a 7 minute mile.

And the winners are...

Wesley: 2nd place in his age group
Dennis: 1st place in his age group
Joyce: 1st place in her age group (can you BELIEVE it???)

We ran the CUCIL this morning in Provo along with Justin, Jessie, and Lori. Kadence rode in the stroller when she wasn't running - the wrong way sometimes. We all won prizes, too:

Dennis: lube job
Joyce: dinner for two at Applebee's
Lori: lube job
Justin: family pass to Boondock's
Jessie: Marie Calendar's pie
Wesley: Hogle Zoo pass for two adults and four kids
Kadence: family pass to Jumping Jacks

We made out like bandits!

Oh yes, a hot tub in my room...

I'm staying at the Landmark Inn in Park City, right up the street from the outlet mall. I do have to spend some of the time working, and the rest of the time I can play.

Den came up with me yesterday and had to leave early this morning for work. I'm waiting for him to come back up today and we'll go to dinner.

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

Den's Antelope-athlon

As some of you probably already know, my husband, Dennis, foolishly joined an animal rescue group last year and has been assigned to protect the African Antelope. This type of work is rather tiring for a man of his age, but it is most rewarding. But even so, one rescue a day is all he can handle right now. Well, last week was his first real action, and fortunately his efforts were captured on the attached video. I hope you enjoy it.

The American Revolutionary War - We Must Remember Them

New Prophet and Apostles Song

First Car Made in Detroit after the Bailout

Kirkmount

Join the group "Fans of Kirkmount" on Facebook!

Instructional Leadership in the 21st Century Conference

It's the end of the first full day of the CITES Instructional Leadership in the 21st Century Conference in the Salt Palace Convention Center. We heard Erik Weihenmayer last night as the keynote speaker. He's a blind climber that has summited the highest peak in each of the seven continents. He was funny and really inspirational. Den came to hear him and we saw Mike and Leslie Dicou there, too.

I'm tired today - preparing these national conferences is a lot of work, but very exciting to see them happen according to plan.

Lake Powell

Today we're off to Lone Rock Beach for a picnic. We spent yesterday boating with Shawn and Jenny and the kids. Wes came with us and we're all having a great time. In fact, we're staying one day longer than we had planned, so we have to get substitutes for Den's lesson and my music leading in Relief Society tomorrow.

Kirkmount - My Favorite Celtic Group!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Lake Powell Here We Come!

We're excited to go see Jenny, Shawn and the Grandkids this week in Page, Arizona. We haven't seen them since Christmas time and I'm sure they've all grown a FOOT! We have a little surprise we're bringing them...

It's Already March!

Tonight's the night to turn the clocks FORWARD one hour before we go to bed - I love, love, love having more daylight in the evenings.

Den is remodeling our storage room and adding more shelves. It will be so nice to be able to organize all the stuff down there so that I know what I've got and can see what I need. Better beef up the storage - our stocks really took a nose-dive last week.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I love baked potatoes.
2. Dennis is my best friend.
3. I was an Athlete Driver during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
4. I don't like cilantro.
5. I don't like people who are two-faced.
6. I love to organize things.
7. My favorite hobby is doing anything crafty.
8. I have a hard time driving in the snow.
9. I get ready for Christmas all year long.
10. I have a hard time with people who use apostrophe's where they're not supposed to in sentence's. Or people that use too many exclamation points!!!!!!! For every sentence!!!!!! They write!!!!!
11. I am a Mormon.
12. I like anything better than Primary - or the nursery.
13. I love to travel - anywhere - especially on cruises.
14. I enjoy cooking.
15. I love teaching, but sometimes I wish I'd gone into business instead of education.
16. I don't like people who don't know the purpose of a turn signal.
17. I wish all of my family lived closer to me.
18. I have two handsome, strong sons and two gorgeous, creative daughters. And two fabulous sons-in-law, a beautiful, talented daughter-in-law, and a fun, darling daughter-in-law to be! And don't even let me get started on my fantastic grandchildren...
19. I like to plan things out and need lots of preparation time.
20. I love spending time with family - they are the most important people in the world to me.
21. I love shopping great sales - it's like a game to see how much I can save.
22. I miss Mom, Dad, Carol, and Danny. I just know they're up there having a fabulous time without me and Moo...
23. I love being with my grandchildren.
24. I wish I were more athletic.
25. I have a fear of snakes, speaking in General Conference, and going to prison.

Don't Buy Anything!!