the fam

the fam

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

June Transfer

This was the last transfer of the Mexico Puebla Mission. On July 1, our mission will be divided into the Mexico Puebla North Mission and the Mexico Puebla South Mission, which we will continue to preside over, so this transfer was pretty emotional! We started off on Sunday by having Elder Pontsler over to the Mission home for a departure dinner and testimony meeting. His parents are coming to Puebla to pick him up in the morning, so we had a separate dinner for him.


Elder Avendaño and Elder Williams (Assistants in the North Mission), Elder Kenczka (new Assistant in the South Mission), President and Sister Reeves, Elder Izaguirre (an Assistant who is going home), Elder Wennerholm (an Assistant in the South Mission)


On Monday, the departing elders started arriving to the house to have their exit interviews with President Reeves and for their departure dinner and testimony meeting.
Elder Izaguirre volunteered to prepare dinner for all the missionaries who are going home and it was wonderful! Elder Ortiz and several other elders helped with dinner.


Sister Ramos will be going home in the morning. What a wonderful missionary she has been. We will miss her wonderful smile and sweet spirit in the mission!


Elder Piñeda and Elder Coronado are helping out with dinner


Elder Lopez and Elder Jackson are helping out, too...


Elder Lundberg visiting with the other Elders in the kitchen


Sister Reeves, helping out Elder Bertha... he was in need of a haircut before he left for home!
Elder Kenczka and Elder Wennerholm were supervising...


the finished product...


On Monday night, June 11, we received five new missionaries from the U.S.


Elder Grow, Elder Parrish and Elder Hawton in the back
Elder Grady and Elder Strom in the front

This picture is of all the new missionaries with their trainers...


Tuesday morning we had the Transfer Meeting with all the missionaries in the Mission.
President and Sister Reeves wanted to greet each missionary before the meeting began


The missionaries waiting in line to greet President and Sister Reeves



The whole mission gathered together, anxious to find out where they will be serving...


The Elders receiving their assignments from President


Elder Morga is surprised by how much luggage there is... I'm not sure why!


It was a great meeting with all the missionaries. We will miss the missionaries who will be serving in the North Mission, but we know that is where the Lord wants them to be and they will have a wonderful experience.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Mom´s Funeral and Visit in Utah

At the graveside... Kelli, Janet, Kimber, Larry, Richard and Taylor

I enjoyed spending some time with Chloe while I was here.
It took a few days, but I think she remembered me.

I also enjoyed watching the hummingbirds come to the feeder every day.

After the funeral and luncheon, we came back to the house and the kids played in the backyard.
It reminded me of the many times that our family would be here for the 4th of July and we would play in the backyard. It was nice to have the kids and grandkids here and just relax at the house after the emotional roller coaster ride of the last few days.

Nicole and Taylor

Grandma, Abigail and Kendyl


Ethan, watching the other kids run through the sprinklers in the backyard

One of the favorite traditions is making s'mores around the fire in the backyard.


Grandma's job of preparing the chocolate and crackers was passed down to me.

The kids even had me sit in her chair. That was weird...
The grandkids really had a great time roasting marshmallows!

"what marshmallow?"

I love this picture of the little boys around the fire... they range in age from two to five!

Taylor manning the fire. Grandma and Cindy got a fire pit, which is new.
The last time we burned their internet cables that run underneath the ground...




One of the other things that my boys have always enjoyed doing at Grandma and Grandpa's is going to the local shooting range. They have a great time and their circle is growing! Ryan and Adam were along for this trip. Yes, the girls were left at home with the kids, which we enjoyed.

We headed to Palisades Lake on Friday morning after packing up. We used to come here every year when we visited Mom and Dad for the 4th of July. We had a great morning playing in the water, climbing the tree, visiting with each other, and going out in the canoe, just like we used to. Then we drove to Provo to visit some family and have dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe... mom's favorite!



Abigail was the center of attention...

Lunch! Not as elaborate as Grandpa and Grandma used to make,
but just as yummy... peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches!

Van is easy to entertain... he kept putting these paper bowls on his head!

Taylor made four or five trips out onto the lake, always with a different group of kids.

Richard, Nickie and their kids on the lake

And the kids loved trying to get close to these ducks!

This is a tree that our kids have been climbing for years.
Van saw the older kids on the tree and wanted to be part of the fun, but he got
a little scared when he got to this point, so Taylor helped him walk the rest of the way.

It's fun to see the grandkids climbing it now. They loved it!

Taylor found a really large fish that looked like a big goldfish in the lake that was
really calm. He pulled it out so the kids could get a real close look, then let it go.

Taylor and Nicole

We stayed with Mel and Linda at their home in Bountiful Friday night.
It was great to see them and visit with them for the evening.

Catherine, Grandma and Abigail, Ethan and Noah,
the night before I flew back to Mexico

Mom´s Funeral

Just some pictures from my mom´s funeral on Thursday...

Richard, Taylor, Larry, Kimber and Kelli practicing to sing for the service

Mason got a little bored during the practice, so he decided to build a house with the programs

the graveside service...

all of the sisters families after the funeral

The Relief Society Sisters prepared a very nice lunch for the family
following the funeral services. This was the Reeves family table.

I know Mom would have been very pleased with this part of
lunch and she would have probably started with her cake!

Kelli and Adam filled the balloons for our send off to Mom

Cindy explaining that we are sending balloons up to Mom to let her know that we love her.

everybody gets a balloon!

watching the balloons fly upward to Mom

Together again... We love you Mom & Dad!