September 11

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day? As the words from the Alan Jackson song say where were you and what were you doing when you saw those first pictures and heard the news on that September day?

Tell me your memories of that day.

Proud to be an American!

Megan joined Ivan at the National Republican Convention last week and wow what an experience. What a great chance they had to be there and see historty being made with the first woman being chosen to run as the Vice President. Megan also liked Cindy McCain's wardrobe! Ivan and the Utah delegation were right behind the CNN newscasters and Kortney even saw him on TV. I appreciate Megan making me feel like I was right there with all the cell phone calls and text messages. We are proud of she and Ivan and that they take advantages of sharing such great opportunities to be involved with each other in their jobs and the trips they each take for their work.

Weekend Road Trip

Randal and I took a little weekend road trip on our way to the wedding of our nephew Jonathan Leatham in Hailey, Idaho. We left Friday evening and returned Sunday after a great get away and exploration of the Salmon River country. We spent Friday night in Challis, Idaho and then took a beautiful drive through Stanley and ended in Hailey. We took side roads and dirt roads and even saw the headwaters of the Salmon River. Absolutely amazing the tiny creek that becomes the mighty wild Salmon River. We attended the wedding Saturday and enjoyed the evening with Matt and Amy and boys. Sunday on the way home instead of taking the usual road we took the road less traveled and went OVER the mountain from Sun Valley to Mackay. (And I do mean OVER the mountain...one lane with a shear drop off on one side and the mountain on my side!) We stopped for a great dinner at the Webster house and to check on the football injuries of Keegan and Kyler. That's another post!

The happy new couple Anna and Jonathan. The new Mr. and Mrs. Leatham were a radiant couple.

The wedding was held in a grove of trees by Cam and Joan's house. The day was warm and lovely and the setting was very unique. The wedding party were all dressed very formal.

Hayden practices the proper way to hold your pinky finger while making a toast at the fancy wedding dinner.

Our boys loved the pool at the Wood River Inn. Hayden and Jace are both little fish and love the water. No fears. We enjoyed the pool and Baskin and Robbins across the street.

Petunias

First before I tell you my new secret for growing petunias you should know that petunias hate me. I have been trying for over 30 years to grow them. Everyone else has beautiful, full, spreading petunias. Mine grew straight up, one blossom on top and no fullness or spreading what so ever! In a gardening class this spring the instructor said these were the best trailing petunias and would just grow and spread and were so so wonderful. They are called bubble gum and would be so great. Yeah, let's see what I can do. I planted them carefully, set them on the steps where they could trail down the side and just as they were getting a good start a delivery man knocked them off the step. I didn't notice until I was on my way out the driveway. I stopped stuck the plants back in the pot because I was in a hurry and didn't even scoop much of the dirt back in the pot, something I thought I'd do later. You got it! The plants grew like crazy. The best petunias ever. Go figure.

This is the rooster weather vane with yes, even more black eyed susan climbing plants growing and blooming. It seems our summer has gone so fast. I enjoyed doing my summer bucket list and am thinking of maybe doing a short one for harvest break. I'm starting a beginning quilt pieceing class with a group of Relief Society sisters so that's a big goal for me. Keep watching for progress reports. A highlight I haven't mentioned before was a summer birthday party that we have every year on my dad's birthday in August. It was a fun cook out in the back yard and I appreciate family and getting together. We don't do it often and missed those who couldn't make it.

Patience...

When gifts were being handed out in heaven I must have been standing in the wrong line visiting when the gift of patience was being handed out. I don't do very well in that area. A couple of years ago when we were in Pennsylvania I saw some beautiful hanging baskets full of climbing black eyed susan plants. We thought we'd never seen them here so Zoeann and I carried little started plants with the roots wrapped in wet paper towels all the way home on the plane. Needless to say they didn't survive very well. What a surprise...I found the same plants in The Garden Gate Nursery in Rigby, Idaho! After a couple of years of trying this year they grew. Not bragging but I am pretty proud of myself that I got them to grow in two different places this year. They are just such happy plants. The one of the back deck had really grown up the planter and blooming so pretty.