SLOWING THINGS DOWN

My dad got a new toy . . . hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Memorial Weekend

When I was 5 years old we had Eric, an Indian Placement Student, come to live with us. Eric lived with us for so long that our family considers him another sibling. He was so much fun to be with. He was crazy & spontaneous - once he decided to just run up the mountain and he did - up to the very top of the one in front of our house. Another time he decided he wanted to ride his bike to Monument Valley from our house (a trip that would take 7 hours in the car). We loved having him in our family and I think he loved it too. Eric served in the Marines and served a mission in Antonio Texas. He decided to go back to the reservation in Monument Valley and learn more about his Navajo people. He was giving tours there and selling his hand-made Navajo jewelry with his birth family. A few years ago while he was working, he was struck by lightning and killed. Eric was buried on the reservation in the middle of the valley. As sad as it was to lose Eric so suddenly, I'm confident that if he could have chosen his exit from this life, lightning would have been it. We miss Eric so much that it's hard to think about it. But I know that we will see him again and that brings me great comfort. Because of the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I will see Eric, Tanner, Irv and all those I love again.

This year Logan decided that visiting Eric's graveside would be a great way to spend Memorial Weekend.

ARCHES
We visited Arches National Park on the way down. Ben was excited for the hike to Delicate Arch.

MONUMENT VALLEY
We spent Saturday in Monument Valley. The Navajos built a monument to Eric at the location he was struck by lightning.

Eric's grave didn't have a head stone, so the men built one from the stones they could fine near by. Eric was burried at the location he had planned to build his home. The site is stunning. Once we were finished fixing up the grave site, Logan talked to Eric's sisters & mother about how Eric's death helped him solidify his testimony of the Plan of Salvation and his love for the Savior. Logan was serving in Sweden on his mission when Eric passed away, so it was especially touching to hear his testimony and his love for Eric. We sang "Go My Son" at the grave side. We really do miss that crazy Indian and we love him so much. On the way home we visited Arches again and had lunch at Balance Rock.

Cookie Connoisseur?

I used to be a Cookie Connoisseur of sorts. My mom got me started at an early age. Almost every day after kindergarten, a couple friends and I would jump up on the kitchen counter and spread flour all over while we mixed the cookie dough. I became really quite good at baking them. I would use my cookies as payment for rides home from school and saying thanks for being taken to a dance etc. Once I talked a rental company into letting the Student Body Officers use a generator to light up the "V" for $30 rather than the $70 they normally charged just by offering my killer cookies.

Unfortunately, it seems I have lost my touch. My killer cookies have become cookies that could kill. The other day my brother in law and sister were coming over for dinner. I decided to make some of my "killer" cookies and they turned out to be more like oatmeal mush than oatmeal cookies. I decided to call my sister Mollie who is a bit of a Martha Stewart in the kitchen and get a better recipe. Here's how my second attempt turned out:

I called Mollie back and realized I had forgotten a very important ingredient: FLOUR!! I made the same recipe again and they turned out a little better.

Maybe now that I'm working at home I will get my cookies skills back up to par.

One Fish, Two Fish!

One Fish

Two FishRed Fish
Blue Fish!

Some have two feet

Some have four

And if we look hard, we might find more!

Some are mad

And some are glad

And some are very, very bad!
Why are they mad and glad and bad?
I do not know, go ask your dad!

Some are tall, some are small

And some look like a little doll!
Not one of them is like another.
Don't ask us why, go ask your mother!

(Strawberry Lake, May 7 2009)

Ben's Blessing

Benjamin Grant Rencher was blessed by his dad on April 5th. Since it was Conference Weekend and the family would all be together, we thought it would be good to do a private blessing at Grandma Rencher's home. Mitch & Ben spent the morning contemplating what would be said in the blessing.

The whole thing was making Ben a little nervous.It took a while, but we finally got Ben calmed down before the big event... but we discovered this was just the silence before the storm. Ben screamed through the entire blessing. Mitch was almost yelling out the words so people could hear.

However, Ben wasn't the only one with tears by the end. The blessing was beautiful! There were some sweet promises made and the spirit was definitely felt. It was wonderful to have so many family members present!In the circle were great Grandfather Lael carter, Bradley Rencher, Andrew Rencher, Brandon Green and David Rollins of the Rencher Family. Irvine wasn't there physically, but everyone felt his spirit present. From the Johnson Family were Grandpa Steve Johnson, Woody Johnson, Logan Johnson, Donny Anderson, Andrew Weber, Joe Johnson and Andy Bingham.Isn't Ben lucky to have such wonderful supportive uncles like these two yahoos?

Easter Golf Tournament

The last few years, we have had a Easter Golf Tournament. This may seem a little odd since Easter is all about the Atonement and is a more serious / spiritual holiday. However, if anyone knows my family they know that the men feel that golf is definately religious.

"...wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round..."

1 Nephi 10:19

We lined up and started our round.

Sophie, of course wore flip flops and it was about 30 degrees outside, so we improvised and put golf covers on her little feetsies!
We even decorated our golf balls like easter eggs and or easter-bunny-eating-freak-o-nature eggs!
And since Ben couldn't decorate his own ball, I decorated him.

Strike one, Elisabeth! But can you blame her with that oaf in the golf hat jumping around behind her?

Ummm... Well, we decided to turn the event into a charity event to help special children learn how to golf...oh no that's just Levi, silly Levi...need I say more?

Here we have the old duffer, I mean old pro, who is not to be confused with the old goat - Grandpa Steve with the perfect swing!

And then there were some golfers that turned their round into a sort of Easter Egg Hunt of course

But we still had so much fun!! Like mother, like daughter...and now if they could only quit posing and hit the ball.

Beautiful swing, Robyn! And it only took three takes!

Maybe Lurpdog /Andrew needs bigger clubs, eh?

Some golfers got a little carried away and still sank their birdie putts amidst the distractions.

Is someone announcing a pregnancy? No, it's just Woody's belly announcing that it's time for lunch!

Mitch discovered that bringing his son golfing is a good luck charm. He played his best round of golf ever with Ben as his caddie. The final score for Mitch was one under par. Congratulations, Dad!