This is the Place and Hill Air Force Base

A few weeks ago, on a very HOT sunny day, we headed to This is the Place Heritage Park. It was super busy because it was a free day, and well worth it! The park is set back in time to experience the FUN of the Old West.  We visited the historic Village, rode the trains and ponies, and played in the splash park.  The boys panned for gold, ate ice cream, visited different shops and played games that our ancestors would've participated in at their age.

Another fun day was spent at Hill Air Force Base with our good friends, the Howick family. The boys really enjoyed walking around and exploring the different aircraft and pieces of American history. 

Missionaries

Missionaries are a very important part of our church. When young men and women turn a certain age, have a desire to serve and are worthy, they can serve a mission for the LDS church. Within 1 week, we had a missionary in our family return home from serving in Argentina, another cousin receive her call to serve in Mexico and a close family friend enter the MTC (Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah) where he will be trained to serve a mission in Panama. Serving a mission is a full time job. Missionaries don't date, attend school, watch tv, play on electronics of any kind and follow other rules. Missionaries pay their own way while out in the mission field. They spend their time proselyting and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Scott served a 2 year mission in Ohio and I served an 18 month mission in Washington state and it was awesome for both of us! I hope and pray each of my 8 boys will want to serve and successfully complete a 2 year mission for our church.

Here is all the support standing at the airport waiting for Hermana Aleigh Boyce to return home from the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. It sure was great seeing her again.

And here is Meghan opening her mission call in front of over 50 family and friends. It was so sweet to watch her read it, and such a humble and vulnerable spiritual experience for her to share with us.  She received her call to serve in Mexico Aguascalientes Mission.

Then there's Elder Taylor Mann from Santa Barbara who flew in late Tuesday night to enter the MTC earlier Wednesday morning. It was so great to be with him for a bit before his adventure begins. 

Blessing Day

Today was an extra special day...It was Robbie's blessing day. We are so blessed to have this sweet addition to our family. He really is a great baby. Robbie eats well, sleeps well, has good wake times and now is smiling and cooing at all of us. 

We had so many wonderful family and friends that came to support us this morning. A special thanks to all of those families!! The Schmidt family, The Walker family (times 2), The Goodrich family, The Monson family, The Vail family, The Gardner family, Jackson Mann, The Gormus family, The Towers family, Scott's parents, The Jessop family, and many wonderful ward member families. 

The blessing Scott offered was sweet and full of lots of special blessing Robbie is entitled to. There were 12 incredible men that stood in the priesthood circle to participate in the blessing. 
After the blessing and sacrament it was fast Sunday. Cute Tyler and Gavin walked up to the pulpit and bore their testimonies. It was sweet to hear them speak. I felt the spirit really strong and also bore my testimony, even though I wasn't planning on it. I expressed how blessed I am with Robbie and all of my sweet boys in my life. Robbie was wrapped in a blanket that my aunt Margene made for my brother's blessing many many years ago. I bore testimony that families are forever and I know I will see Margene and William again. 

After church we all came back to our house where we served Banbury Cross Donuts milk and juice. It was fun to mingle with everyone.

After it was all over this cutie pie slept for 3 hours! 

Santa Barbara Reunion

A couple months ago Michelle, Steve, Robin and I were all talking together about how great it is that so many families from Santa Barbara are now living in Utah. We thought it would be a great idea to plan a SB Reunion...so we did! 

Yesterday we met at Creekside Park in Alpine. The park was very fun, and central for so many families. There are several playgrounds, a splash pad, basketball courts, tennis courts, a volleyball court, tons of grass to play Frisbee and lacrosse and sidewalks for bikes and scooters. 

 

We BBQ'ed meat, ate chips and cookies and drank soda pop. Steve lead an epic game of Crazy Ball. It was so fun!

It was so wonderful to see so many great people from Santa Barbara again. I remember most of these people as 14, 15 and 16 years olds, so it was pretty strange when they brought along their spouses and children! Here are a few pictures of the fun event.