* MEG WAS JR. PEACH QUEEN FIRST ATTENDANT *

She was so excited to hear her name called the night of the Jr. Peach Queen pageant.

Collin and Mark went horse back riding this August 2010 with their Boy scout Troop.

Mark and Collin with the horses they rode. A few of the kids were thrown off their horses a few times, no injuries but a few bruises. Mark and Collin got the gentle horses and didn't have any trouble with their horse being spooked and were not thrown off.

Collin had a great time riding horses. He said this was the best fed scout camp he has ever been to. They were never hungry and had so much left overs the cowboys burned tons of left over food. The cowboys didn't want to haul anything back down the mountain. They even burned the ice chests and extra blankets. We guess the horses were to tired from hauling boys and men all Summer long up and down the mountain.

Mark said this was fun for the boys learning to ride a horse, BUT the worse run camp he has been to. At times the boys were very bored: no activities planned for the boys . Breakfast was on cowboy time well after 10:00 o'clock, lunch was served so late the boys were not hungry for dinner when it was served. The cowboys complained a lot about having to work with boy scouts and their language was a bit to colorful. Mark will never go back to that camp again as long as he is young men's president.

I thought I learned along time ago to be careful what I pray for. I was worried I would not know what to do with myself since the kids would all be in school this fall. I started to ask the lord in my prayers to help me find something productive to do with my time. I thought about many things ,then the job to teach preschool opened up. I thought this was my answer. No ! I guess the lord thought well she needs more. I have been called to serve as the 2nd counselor in the primary. It looks like I might be keeping the stake sports director calling as well! I am going to be one busy chic ! I am glad I will have time while the kids are in school to get my preschool and sharing time lessons planned. Hobbie HO here we go!

THE BRIGHAM CITY TEMPLE GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY JULY 31, 2010 FUTURE SIGHT ACROSS FROM THE BRIGHAM TABERNACLE ON MAIN STREET

THE CROWD OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE CEREMONY TO BEGIN. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THE TABERNACLE IN THE BACKGROUND AND THE WHITE TENT WHERE THE CEREMONY GUESTS WILL BE SPEAKING.

WE GOT TICKETS TO ATTEND THE GROUND BREAKING FOR THE BOYS COLLIN AND PARKER MARK AND I AND MY SISTER ERIN. IT WAS HOT AND SUNNY AS WE HAD TO BE IN OUR SEATS AN HOUR BEFORE THE PROGRAM WAS TO BEGIN. IT WAS EXCITING TO FINALLY SEE THE PROPHETS ARRIVE: PRESIDENT BOYD K. PACKER, AND RUSSEL M. NELSON.

COLLIN ,ME, PARKER AND MARK. WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A TEMPLE BUILT IN OUR HOME TOWN OF BRIGHAM CITY. I REMEMBER WATCHING GENERAL CONFERENCE LAST OCTOBER 2009. I WAS STUNNED AS I HEARD WE WOULD HAVE A TEMPLE HERE IN BRIGHAM. I HAD TO REWIND LIVE TV WITH THE DVR TO MAKE SURE I HEARD HIM RIGHT SURE ENOUGH HE SAID BRIGHAM CITY UTAH WILL BE GETTING A TEMPLE. I ROUNDED UP THE KIDS AND PLAYED IT FOR THEM AGAIN . DID YOU HEAR DID YOU HEAR AS I HAD TEARS DOWN MY FACE. WE ALL LITERALLY JUMPED FOR JOY. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MARK AT WORK THAT SAT, MORNING TOLD HIM TO LISTEN AS AS I HELD MY CELL PHONE TO THE TV AND PLAYED IT AGAIN. MARK WAS CRYING IN THE PHONE AS WELL.

AFTER THE DEDICATORY PRAYER THEY BROKE GROUND WITH GOLDEN SHOVELS. HERE IS ALL THE STAKE PRESIDENTS TAKING A TURN TO BREAK GROUND.

ERIN, COLLIN, PARKER AND PARKER WAITING JUST BEFORE THE OPENING PRAYER.

THE PULPIT UNDER THE TENT AT THE TEMPLE SIGHT.

MORE SHOVEL PICS WITH STAKE PRES. ,BOYD K. PACKER, RUSSEL M. NELSON.

I DECIDED TO SAVE THE BEST PIC FOR LAST: MIDDLE LEFT RUSSEL M. NELSON AND MIDDLE R BOYD K. PACKER BREAKING GROUND FOR THE TEMPLE RIGHT AFTER THE DEDICATORY PRAYER BY BOYD K. PACKER.

Granpa Gibby always has a camera in hand taking pictures! So this time I got him! Willard Bay July 24 2010.

July 24th 2010 Willard bay Sariah trying to get me wet! Mark Had Sat. the 24th of July off. Mark insisted we had to do something with a beach and water. So we rounded up all the Gibby and Walton clans and went to Willard Bay. The kids and mark had fun playing in the water with their cousins.> I put my chair and feet in the water that was enough for me! When the kids had enough of the water, we had dinner in the shade. Mark taking sand out of his shoes and Parker in the background. Collin playing with his boat. He has had that thing forever. He has repaired it many times, but now the motor will not work any more at all.

The best part of the day was Sariah splashing her daddy while he was sitting in his chair. He asked her jokingly stop slashing me. Sariah's reply was but dad that is why we are here to get wet. Sariah kept splashing Mark to get his attention. So Mark picked her up and tossed her in the water. She had a very surprised look on her face, then Mark said Sariah you are here to get wet are you not! She then started to laugh!

A found Hobby:

I posted on my profile that I didn't know what my hobbies where and guessed my kids where my hobby. I figured every summer I grow a garden and that counts as a hobby. This year we tried something different planter boxes! Last fall mark built me two huge planter boxes they are over six feet long. Then we filled them with with compost soil. So this spring I planted tomatoes, and beans in one and squash, spinach, cabbage,carrots, radishes,and beets in the other. I have decided I love planter boxes. Less weeds, and the plants love it! Down side is you have to water more, but I would rather water than weed. I love fresh produce form the garden they are so yummy and it is much cheaper to grow them than buy them at the store.

I planted some raspberries as well this spring. I remember growing up and having raspberries. I loved all the jam growing up and eating fresh berries from the vines. I wanted to have fresh raspberry jam again. We got a few to eat, but it will be a few more years before we have enough to make jam.

I planted more bush beans in the old garden plot. I had to plant them twice this year. I do not know if it was old beans or the weather was to crazy the bean seed went bad before they could sprout. See all the weeds that is after many hours of weeding. We will be turning this spot into planter boxes this fall so they will be ready for next spring, and less weeding. Wish me a plentiful harvest!

"Rapunzel" (Spring 2010) Meg preschool dress up day as your favorite fairy tale:

I went to check the class lists posted on the door of Foothill for next year school year. I kept looking and looking for Meg's name on the kindergarten class lists. No she did not have morning class like I requested. So I looked again maybe they put her in the afternoon class. Thinking well I will have to take her to work with me teaching preschool. Meg was not there either. So I panicked did they forget to put her on the kindergarten list or did the the district mix up with our school closing last fall put meg in the wrong school. So I looked again no not in morning nor afternoon. Then I thought well they do have a a kindergarten class her for kids who go all day. She can not be on that list for all day kindergarten it is for kids who need the extra help and meg knows all the letters,colors, shapes, and most numbers, and she can read. I thought I am sure she did good in kindergarten round up. Well as I looked at the full day kindergarten short list of names her name was on there. Hmmmm! I still wonder why! We did met the teacher of all day kindergarten when we toured foothill last school year. Maybe she was impressed with meg and knew meg could help the other kids and handle all day school. I know they do put kids in the all day kindergarten who are well mannered, get along well others, and are very bright to help the teacher. I am not so sure I am happy about her going all day. I have mixed feelings. I am sad my kids are all in school, but it will be nice to have some time to do my preschool lessons and have some me time. I still am going to have to ask her teacher why meg? This coming school year will be different with all the kids in school.

Father and Son Look alikes:

Collin looks like his Dad mark. Here is a picture of mark and Collin both in Marching Band. If it wasn't for the outdated uniforms, picture, and the maybe the hair color . It would be hard to tell which one is Mark and which is Collin. In case you Can not tell Mark is the First one!

Collin is in the marching Band this year! It has been fun watching him in some of the parades and programs he has been in.

4 Th July Brigham Utah opening Ceremonies 2010 The kids and I went to watch the opening ceremony for the 4Th July to watch Collin performing in the Marching Band. I tend to get teary eyed as the flag is raised as we sing the National Anthem. What a great country we Live in . I often wonder why I was born here in the USA and Born and raised by faithful parents who taught me god's true church the LDS church . If you consider all the people born on the earth and who will be that is a very very small percentage indeed. What a great gift the lord gave me.

Our day trip to The Salt Lake Temple and surrounding sights July 2010: We went and toured the temple grounds and went to the visitors centers and watched a movie about "The family." Being near the temple and watching the movie helped the kids Realize the importance of being an eternal family forever. We want to be with our families beyond the grave and the temple helps us do that. When this life is over the relationships we create with our family and how we treat them and others is what matters most not the things we acquire.

Our day trip to Salt Lake: After we toured the Lds Conferance center we went and had sack lunches. Then we came back to the Joseph smith building to watch the "Joseph Smith Movie ". I think I cried through most of the movie. I actually learned more about the Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Emma then I thought I knew. He had great faith and integrity even as a child before he became a teenager at fifteen and entered the grove the pray. I think that was one of the reasons his family was a great support to Joseph and didn't question him at all when Jesus ,Heavenly father, and then the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph. I am so greatfull to Joseph and Emma Smith and there hardships they went through to bring the true gospel to all of us. They saw the importance of the lords work and made many sacrifices to bring about the restored gospel. They saw the big picture and what matters most, and trully where unselfish people who put the needs of others before their own needs.

These are pictures meg waiting for the movie to start inside the Joseph smith Building. I think she was tired by this time. These pictures are a good example of her personality . She did not care that everyone was watching her lie on the floor and roll around. She was in charge in her mind she was the center of it all able to watch everyone and block them out when she chose to!

Our Family Day Trip July 2010: We decided to repeat what Mark and Collin learned at youth conferance this year. We hoped it would help the kids and us stregthen our testimonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We wanted the kids to see how the pioneers struggled and how livng the gospel can bless our lives and the lives of others. First we hiked to ensign peak where Brigham Young stated this is the place! I have never been here before. I even grew up living in the Salt Lake valley until I was about 9. It was a great testimony builder to see the valley below us and invision the prophets seeing it as we see it today. Picture above us is the beginning of the hike up to Ensign Peak with me and the kids.

The girls are standing in front of the monument dedicated to Ensign Peak. The peak has rocks that are carved in it with names and places of pioneers and one stone says Nauvoo Temple, a stone from the quarry they used to build the navoo temple a left over that some poineer carried all the way to Utah across the plains from Navoo. The monument was build in 1834 and stands 18 feet 34 inches ( I think) or the day the prophet climbed ensign peak I can not remember but the exact date and height are the same to remind us of that monumental part of our poineer history.

Mark and the kids are standing in front of the view for the top of ensign peak. The Salt Lake Lds Temple is the center of all Salt Lake City symbolic of how the temple should be the Center of our lives.

Our House Before:

After: Whew the hard work is all done . We worked many weekends and finally got the front yard back. For years we have talked about getting rid of the bark and adding grass. Our kids and the neighbors kids spread the bark everywhere. There always was a bark mess all over the sidewalk. So we took advantage and redid the whole front lawn in sod. Looking back at the pictures I think it looks better than it used to. The tree was really hiding our house more than I ever realized.

White Rice -VS- Brown RiceWhite of course! TASTE WINS ! This picture is for my Sister Christel! We always have this healthy little disagreement. She likes to eat brown rice because it is healthier for you. Now I do agree it is, but it taste so darn yucky why even have it all! Eating healthy is a good thing and I am all for it, but if it taste nasty not worth it to me. When we are having family dinner and rice is being served we text each other to let the other know to bring their own rice. Christel's husband, Kyle, loves it when I come for dinner and I bring white rice. Kyle hates it when he has to eat brown rice. Christel got a new dog this week ! So I told her told her to bring her new puppy "Shep", but leave the yucky brown rice home. It has been fun toying with my sister and making fun of her and her brown rice. I am wondering if Christel actually likes brown rice or has it grown on her over time warping her taste buds. Love you tons Christel!

The infamous eye sore of a stump?After the plumbers pulled out the tree stump for us it was so heavy the could not hall it away. They told us sorry we can not lift it with our tractor. Mark tried to cut it up with a chain saw to big, to much dirt in the roots, and some rocks embedded in the tree stump a no go. So we called an arborist tree stump removal company to come get it. He came with a huge truck with a crane to pick up the stump. This was a professional who did it for a living, but it was still to heavy it was tipping his massive truck with a crane. He suggested we try to clean all the dirt out off the stump to make it lighter. So that we did. No easy task mind you we took over three hours with the water hose shovels and an ice pick try to make it lighter. We were afraid it still might be too heavy so we did not call back the arborist. Mark, his dad and brother, and our home teacher after many weeks deliberating on how to get rid of the stump finally decided to use all the young men in our ward to scoot it on to a trailer bed. Mark being young men's president does have its benefits after all. It was too heavy for all those boys and men it would not budge. Finally our home teacher said what if we turn it and roll it onto the bed. Mark put the trailer right under the stump and they rolled it like a giant pumpkin onto the truck. Whew what a relief to get rid of that eye soar on our front side walk. Sorry we put a few scratches and a dent it mark's brothers new trailer. Sorry Scott hope we can still borrow it in the future. Thanks to all the young men and our home teacher for their help.

For memorial weekend we went to Watkins park in Logan Utah for a picnic with Mark's family. While we were eating our lunches it started to rain hard and then it began to hail. We quickly gr abed our things and headed to the bowery to finish eating. We all sat there huddled together it was getting cold for thirty minutes. We were hoping to see if the rain and hell would pass over us so we could go see the animals at the little zoo there. Eventually the rain stopped and we had fun at the zoo feeding the fish and the ducks. Just as we were heading to the cars it began to rain again. We were grateful for the rain break and the fun times with cousins that day.(Where is Parker for this picture I thought he was there. Just like that boy to take off in the rain playing.)

Meg's Preschool graduation from Einstein Preschool

May 27, 2010

Her class Teachers: Mrs. Karen, and Mrs. Heather

Meg is in the back row the only one with glasses.

Meg last one with a horse singing songs.

Meg loved Preschool this year she was taught by her Aunt Mrs. Heather. Every day she would ask me do I get to go to school today. She would come home all happy having a great time. This year with Meg being the only one home I got to substitute about once a month. It was great teaching the kids and watching Meg grow and learn. Next year Mrs. Karen is retiring. It looks like I might be taking her place as the new preschool teacher with Mrs. Heather in the fall. I look forward to helping Mrs. Heather next year!

Bunderson Elementary Closed 2010

Friend Brady, Sariah, Parker, and Meg on train ride. Sariah on the rock wall. Meg on the rock wall. Our elementary school Bunderson is closing! We went to the final Bunderson carnival the last week in may. At least it was all Free the food the rides everything! The kids had fun climbing the rock walls, eating ice cream, cotton candy, pizza, hot dogs, and riding the rides. It all was fun but bitter-sweet, since we were all saying goodbye to great school. The girls will be going to foothill next year. Parker moves up the the ACY middle school. We are to close to bus barely, but to far to let the girls walk home. They loved walking home from Bunderson. We will miss the great teachers and our beloved school.

We have some good news among all that has been going on this week. Collin, our oldest, brought home an ivitation to the awards ceremony for the freshman class requesting we attend beacuse he is in the top 10%. Wow that is a great accomplishment for a kid who has ADHD. He has learned to over come many obstacles to be were he is today. He works harder than any kid I know to keep his grades up. We are vey blessed to have him for a son and the good example he sets for his younger siblings. Way to go collin! Wow top 10%!