Swim Team Wrap-up!

 We had another great season of swim team! This year we not only had Scott and Susie's kids Jared and Franklin but we also had Norman Smith double cousins equals double the fun!!

The kids have such a talent for swimming and I love to watch them swim. Swimming in the summer is a family tradition that has gone back close to 18 years.

Adrian ended the season with being the high point winner for the 13 and 14 year olds age group on our team!! I think she got first place in every race she swam. She missed several meets due to vacation in girls camp but she gave it her all every time she was there. At championship she got third place in backstroke sixth place and I am and six in freestyle breaking her PR in freestyle being sub 30 seconds she is fast!!

Park and crushed his season as well! He was the top point winner for our team in the 15 and 18 category and the second highest scorer in the 15-18 year old men's category in our league! I love watching him dive off the blocks. At championships he got first place in the IM, 3rd place in breaststroke and fourth place in freestyle the boy can swim! 

A highlight for me personally was having my twins family on the team. I loved picking each other up for meets, sitting next to each other in the hot sun and watching and cheering each other's children on. Norman was awesome for his first season and such a trooper. It is no joke swimming in the summertime.

Hillary's 50 years of awesome!

My amazing sister Hillary turns 50 this month! John Colin was on top of it and wanted to plan a special sibling's trip. We weighed all our places and options and Hillary ultimately wanted to go to a small Colorado town named Ori. It's known to be the Switzerland of the West. It's beautiful with snow-capped mountains in July wonderful hiking trails some pretty awesome eats and with my siblings it made for the ultimate getaway.

When Hillary turns 40 Lindsay was living in Scotland and Hillary and I flew out to visit her. We were walking the streets of Edinburgh when we saw a sign saying happy 40th. On this trip I thought wouldn't it be great if we could find a sign that celebrated 50 years? Boom tender Mercy from Heavenly Father, I found an amazing sign in this small town. The sign was celebrating the local bank turning 50 years and it's model was together we're golden. That has become our new sibling motto and we love it. How many siblings have a sibling motto?! It's the little things like this when Heavenly Father answers the desire of your heart on such small things that help one realize what a miraculous thing this life is and His love for us is.

 

independence Day fun!

 Lindsay had the Tucson families  over for July 3rd celebration. Of course it was great barbecue with their smoker, kids swam,  and we played puzzles. It was good old-fashioned fun.

On the 4th of July we went over to Scott and Susie's with all the how crew plus The potters who were in town. Another great food fest swimming lots of good conversation good old-fashioned fun.

I'm grateful how deep are roots here. Our support system is so ideal. All the more reason for me to reach out and help others.

Pershings move to Baton Rouge June 23rd

After girls camp Benjamin and I drove Bella and Sam's car to Baton Rouge. We had a fun journey across multiple states. Look at the size of that windshield cleaner in Texas.

We checked out the Alimo and walked around downtown San Antonio. We love our morning walks.

Bella and Sam's new place in Baton Rouge is perfect, their ward is friendly and spiritually inviting. We took a walk in a nearby park with Bella. The place is gorgeous.

We drove to New Orleans its a funky town with its own vibe. Later that night we flew home with Olivia who helped them move. It was a quick trip that confirmed they are on the right track, that's meant for them.

 

Girls camp as Head Cook! June 19th

I headed up to camp Zion to start the longest month at camp. We had to go to Costco and buy all our produce. The hardest part was fitting it all in the car. Also on that day, Bella and Sam and Liv loaded up to head out to Louisiana 

The two ladies I served with were life savers. They truly lighted my load by takin on so much. Sherrie Jones is a master organizer. She had wonderful spreadsheets and cross checked prices. She is a total doer and I love her for all her hard work. Kam Gibson was a first time cook but not new to working with me. She was my preschool assistant for many years. She has a calming influence and works incredibly hard.  They were my dream team.

Adrian headed up to camp to be a 3rd year...that might not mean a lot to you but it means Adrian's getting older Parkin had a swim meet and the Pershing crew arrived into Baton Rouge with Liv going 115 mph at times 

On Wednesday June 21st I made the worst camp biscuits. Well I really made them early and then I froze them which did not hold up well. They were so hard to unstick and didn't rise well...normally my biscuits are good. It made me think of my great great grandmother Sarah Loader who crossed the plains in the Martin Handcart company. She was traveling next to a man that said he couldn't walk another step. She asked him what he needed to carry on, he said if he could just have a biscuit he thinks he could make it. She reached into her apron and boom there was a biscuit! She saved his life....so as far as miracle biscuits go I'm glad he got a miracle instead of me 

Thursday June 22nd last full day of camp! Each day at camp feels like a week so I had already been there for 3 weeks. I served smoked pork sandwiches and homemade Mac n cheese, luckily that landed! 

Friday we woke up early to make cinnamon rolls. So much effort. I wonder if Costco muffins would suffice... 

A week later I got surveys about what meals the campers liked best....the results were unexpected. Meals that I thought I botched were voted the best like the biscuits and gravy!! I don't know how many times I have told my kids "you are doing better than you think"....and that applied to me. Other items that got votes was mac n cheese and my cinnamon rolls...what a success!! 

Parkin made the aprons for the cooks. He did an amazing job! I was so grateful for his help. 

 

Beryl Graduated from UCLA June 17th

 

On June 17th Beryl graduated with her Masters! Her boyfriend Rex and best friend Suzie met us at the Bruin statue so we could sit together in the stadium. Rex even busted out snacks. The speakers did a great job and didn't speak too long but the reading of the names took forever. After the ceremony we went to a very small celebration at her college were we mingled. A lady took our picture and said "what a nice blended family, we might put you on the department website."  We were so thrilled to be invited and so very happy that we have kept in touch. Later that night Beryl treated us to a yummy Italian dinner. It was very generous.

Later that night we met up with a missionary friend of Benjamins. They shared an apartment for 6 months. He took us to the pier and we went to his ward on Sunday where he is a Bishop.

Later that day we went to Salvation Mountain its an unusual art installation in the desert devoted to God's love.

At our family Lake on June 5th, and FSY!

We love to go to Lake Patagonia several times during the summer break. We usually take off mid afternoon and get there in time for a couple of hours of lake fun. 

Parkin and Adrian were at FSY, a youth camp for church held at the University of Arizona. They were both incredibly brave and went not knowing their roommates. Luckily they both liked there roommates and had a great time at camp. A lot of kids from the ward were there so it made the dances and other activities fun. They didn't take a single picture which is fine because they never called to come home...like I said they were very brave!