Traditions...

Our priest quorum (16-18 year old youth group) has a traditional steak dinner and testimonial meeting to send off the missionaries in our ward.

 So last night we attended with Jacob.

 They were so good to bring all the food, grill up scrumptious steaks and yummy salads, with donuts for dessert... so perfect for these boys! 

They shared some things they loved about Jacob.

 He says this is how we look Mom when we are serious... we all look down... ha ha ha :)

 They also offered their personal advice for the missionary before he leaves.

 Some great things to ponder and council to take heed to from his friends and leaders and Bishop!

 And Mom and Dad too!

 And somehow the night would not be complete, if we weren't moving chairs and tables for someone :)

Just kidding, of course, it's been a busy summer with the stake equipment shed, and it blesses so many families to have chairs and tables and tents available to check out and use for events (I was just being sarcastic because there have been days I wanted to answer the phone "Dayleys rentals", so don't call the Stake President and turn me in or fire my husband, he really loves doing it).  It was awesome to have all the willing hands and strong muscles to load and then go help unload for a family.

A special night, and a really good time was had by all.

More preparations...

This is something I have been doing to keep my hands busy (because the missionary doesn't like me touching him... which seems to be a weird impulse I am having as of late).

Labeling socks... I wasn't sure how to do that, so someone suggested the colored stitch.

I hope it works, he doesn't seem to think he needs it, I hope not either, but if he does, they are marked so he will know they are his.  Unless, his companion chose to mark theirs with blue zig zag (shrug).

When September comes...

We have been looking forward toward September for a very long time it seems, since the missionary opened his mission call.

 It's here, it's surreal.

Therapy helps!

The game of golf...

The game of golf... it's a finicky game.

But yet we still play.

 I had not been on this course before, but the boys had told me how beautiful it is.

 So I grabbed my camera... 

 It was much more beautiful than I could capture, before my battery went dead.

 This would represent sarcasm... because he doesn't like his personal paparazzi.

 The water, the mountains looking over the greens... so beautiful!

 Well beautiful if you get to sit on a golf cart and ride around taking pictures of it, and don't have to hit a ball by it without doing what I call a kurplunk shot.

 I think this was a successful shot... he tosses the ball up and grabs it from the top as it falls.

It's one of his signature moves.

 As we passed some of the homes on the course, their landscaping and vast size and beauty was really hard to pass up. 

 Trying to cooperate with the paparazzi...

 This is his good luck sweater, btw.

 Lots of pondering goes on during the game of golf.

 I fell in love with the big old trees....

 But they are not very welcome if you get hung up behind them and have to do some kind of special curve shot, that probably has some special name, but I just can't remember it.

 And if you hook it too much, well yep, that darn beautiful water, is not so beautiful when you have to retrieve your ball from it.  Good thing we have that special ball retrieving tool, the one I gasped about when it was purchased.

 It's weird how bendy he is at 6'4" huh....

 Real golfers don't actually wear the glove, it looks more professional hanging out of your pocket don't you know?

 I don't remember this shot, he must have been doing some kind of victory dance?

 Is the club really supposed to bend like that?

Maybe that is what they mean when they talk about "flex, and stiffness of the clubs".

 But even more impressive, that view!

My boys...

Wait, I think I've seen this picture before...

Look at it again!  Is that too funny or what?

Seriously, I loved being with them all day on the course.  But it took me back to the first week he was born, as a very little baby I couldn't take my eyes off of him.  I starred at him all day, watched him move, and laugh and ponder.  I loved taking pictures of him, but I loved even more just soaking up every last view of him committing it to my memory so I will never ever forget what this feels like to have him next to me.

First Concert and the fair...

We got a thrifty deal on fair tickets a few months ago, so we decided to take the teenager to his first concert.  

 Cheap Trick.  I know, a cheezy 80's band for his first concert?  We just ran out of time and choices.  He just couldn't go out into the world with having been to a concert, as much as his Father LOVES live music.  Hopefully it won't be his last concert.

 We must be getting old, it was loud, so loud.

 And when old guys are still playing this many years later... well did I mention cheesy?  They still have good music, but old guys should at least try and keep their dignity, and not try and act like they did winking at young screaming blonde girls from the stage.

It was an experience.  We never thought we would leave a live concert early, but we did.  It just wasn't worth dealing with all the riff raff.  I guess that's what you get when you see a band at the fair.

 But to get our moneys worth on the tickets, I got to go see the animal barns!  My favorite!!

And my strong silent mysterious man didn't even rush me and was a good sport about it :) Yay!

 We really had a good time together as a family.

It might have been torture for the teenager to hang out with his old parents at the fair, but he was a good sport too.

And never got lost once!