Fun With The Singles Ward!

Jeff and I joined the Newport Coast Singles Ward Friday night for another camping trip. We went to Joshua Tree National Park again, and this time our camping spot was even more beautiful than the one we were in last November. The sky was full of a million stars and the weather was great. Jeff always sets up the most comfy tent for us. About 60 people came out ---Saturday morning after Burt Tarayao cooked a fabulous Hawaiian breakfast half the people went rockclimbing and half went shooting. It was a blast! We love the singles ward so much!

This is our tent at Indian Cove Campground

Burt made a delicious breakfast

Rockclimbing was available right at the campsite!

Setting up targets to shoot at

Your view (if you are an unlucky target!)

Dave Streiff (ward clerk) supervised the shooting

Jeff with a 22 Rifle

Me with my new 22 cowgirl revolver

Camping in Glamis!

The day after Christmas Jeff and I took my quad and his motorcycle out to Glamis with The Fisher Family--Derek, Gwen, Andrew, Brendan and Cole. We had a great time riding on the sand dunes and shooting guns. It was super-cold at night (in the 30's) and we were happy that our camping equipment was up to the task. We had a great time!

I've Been Elfed!

One of my seminary students thought it was high time to show off my dancing skills. Also starring Cody Tuma, David Livingston, Katie and Shannon McCormick. Good stuff.

Understanding Cats

We rarely see our cat Rory. Sometimes the only proof she is still among us is that food disappears from her bowl. She is completely anti-social and will not come near any of us. We all imagine that she is so skitterish because she has many tales to tell about near-death experiences with coyotes that roam our neighborhood, but we'll never know for sure.

So imagine what a mystery, and almost an insult it is that whenever Lauren comes home from college we can find the cat curled up with her when she is in bed. The same Lauren who teases her relentlessly, never buys any of the cat food, doesn't pour it in the bowl, doesn't put the flea medication on her, or any of the other mundane chores of pet ownership. Go figure....

A Most Exciting Sabbath Day

Nothing like a bit of good old fashioned religious persecution to bring a feeling of peace and contentment to my heart. Where could this happen but in the Lord's true church? Our church had much of the credit heaped onto us for the success of Proposition 8, and I couldn't be prouder! So yesterday a temple protest was held on the corner next to the stake center and temple.

Like President Kimball said, Because this is the Lord's true church, the day we stop facing opposition is the day we need to start worrying!

Ward Camping Trip

The singles ward went out to Joshua Tree National Park for some rock-climbing and camping. Over 50 people attended, and we all had so much fun that we are planning it again asap!

The Cradle of the Restoration

Jeff and I are just back from a vacation to beautiful Palmyra, New York to see the sites where the church was restored. It was so much fun!

Joseph Smith Cabin

This is my favorite--if you stand looking at the Joseph Smith Cabin, and then turn around, you can see the Palmyra Temple at the top of the hill where the trees are cleared. Could Joseph ever have imagined the day?

The path to the sacred grove.

Our sweet missionary guide, Sister Porter.

The Sacred Grove

The Peter Whitmer Farmhouse, where the restored church was organized with 6 members on April 6, 1830. Over 13,000,000 members today and growing fast!

The Palmyra Stake Center, where we went to church on Sunday.

Palmyra is about 90 miles from our airport in Buffalo. We spent the final night of our trip in Niagara Falls, which is just across the border in Canada from Buffalo. We had a spectacular view of both Horseshoe and American Falls from our room.