The Blanding Bugle

Volume 21 Issue 7

July 2012

She Bought It!

For several years now Jessica has wanted a pool in her back yard.  Her mother told her she could have one as soon as she figured out where it would go and had enough money to purchase a pool.  Never in Doreen's mind did she think Jessica would figure it all out, but she did.

Thanks to the power of a Facebook rant ("Jessica won't stop showing me ads for above ground pools") and a reply ("I have one she can buy for $100.") Jessie now has a pool.

Jessie in her 18' pool

Twenty-Three Years

It seems like yesterday and then again it seems like forever ago that Doreen and Steve got married.

For their 23rd anniversary Steve took Doreen downtown. They stayed the night in the Olympic Hotel and had dinner at the Metropolitan Grill. It was a lovely evening and a beautiful morning.

Steve & Doreen

Naughty Nellie

Long Beach

When Doreen asked Kray (who's in Hawaii) where he wanted to go on vacation when he came home for the summer, without hesitation he said, "Long Beach."

So back the family went to one of their favorite spots in the Northwest.  We just hung out, camped, ate good food and enjoyed each other's company. Too bad Jason couldn't get the week off.

Jessie in the beautiful sunset.

Chris and Kray fighting it out for first place.

Jessie & Matt
Jessie is finally big enough for the big go-carts.

Matt and Steve

Happy Campers:
Matt and Roxy

It was a miracle; it had to be. For weeks Doreen had been watching the weather forecast for Long Beach and there was nothing but rain forecast for the week they were going to be camping.  She even thought about calling it off as it was forecast to dump rain.  But the family prayed and what do you know, but the last drop of rain was felt as they put the tent on the tarp to raise it. It was so beautiful that week that Doreen came home with sun burnt cheeks.

Youth Conference

For the past eight years, Doreen has put on a youth conference for the local LDS homeschooled youth. She didn't even miss the year she was in chemotherapy. This year's theme was "Don't Be an Angry Bird." She had a blast and so did the kids!

Each conference has at least two speakers (chosen by the youth leaders for that year), a service project, a dinner, dance and of course some crazy activities all around the theme. 

This year's service project was to help clean up a fellow homeschooling family's yard whose father had major back surgery and couldn't get out and clean up the yard. Of course the rest of the family was helping the mom take care of the dad. We had a blast and accomplished a lot!

Robin and Jacobi have made a cake for us each year.

The group after working for an hour at the Spear home.

Jessie's favorite part of the dance.

Mike working hard.

Kill the Pigs

Matt doing the worm.
Camera caught him mid air!

Matt and Chris working hard.