Life is more than Good!

WOW!! Is it March 2013 Already??? Two years ago we were getting ready for our mission! The time FLEW by. We have not decided where we want to live as of yet...we are renting right now and will be doing some serious looking later this spring. We will be getting a new grandchild this fall, CAN'T WAIT! Kris is working as a security guard for UTA in Salt Lake, I am just putting quilt tops together so this spring I can get them all quilted. Kris and I are still having the time of our life (I say life because we are one)...Who knew we could be more in love than we ever have been after 42 years!! Life is more than good!!! We are teaching the 7-8 year olds in our ward and we LOVE it!!

Time Flies............

Wow is time going fast and so much has happened. Carrie and Brock had their baby June 1 a sweet little girl, Brooklynn. I was trying to be so strong not being there. We skyped and I was there via the Internet, which was a HUGE blessing for me,but when she finally had her I broke down and just held on to Kris. All the sisters that were in the humanitarian center cried with me. They have been a big support to me. This last week was our first taste of the upcoming summer months and can I tell ya it's going to be BUSY! We had our first assignments, we told the Willie Story for two groups (one group of 65 and one of 250)and then we did the long women's pull for both of them as well (that's talking to them about women pulling their own loads and honoring the priesthood and walking up the pull with them) it was so great. We did a river crossing talk (for a group of 350)and then we did a Ephraim Hanks and Thisbe Read presentation ( for a group of 50), not to mention the square dancing. This coming week we are doing another River/Pebble talk (for 250) and then we get to do the pony express and deliver mail to a youth group. The Sweetwater River is high right now and we have had to adjust the river crossings. Kris has been doing a lot of welding for projects on the new visitor center and I have been busy sewing. I can say I know how to really sew now and quilt. Things are going well, we spend our
p-days in Riverton or Lander and then we go rock hunting. We bought a rock tumbler and I can't wait to see how they come out. I can tell you one thing, the Lord is truly with is here when we are with the youth! Kris and I both have been prompted to say things and give stories that are needed for these youth and leaders. The pictures are random Kris and I in our trail dress, yes I do wear a cowboy hat on occation. Also us with Andrew Olsen the author of "The Price we Paid" and a picture with my cousins who are serving at Martins Cove. Did I mention I never knew them before we came here? They are from the Openshaw line he is from Samuel and I am from Mary Ann, tender mercy we are both serving at these sites.

Week Three and Four at 6th Crossing

The training and firesides we have had have been amazing! We had a wonderful fireside with Andrew Olsen the man who wrote "The Price we Paid" got my book signed and pictures with him. On Monday we took an amazing CES (Church Education System) tour all day and then went back to the cove for dinner. Seems like all we do is eat. I walked the trail where my relatives pulled their handcarts, I saw the ruts in the rock that were made by the handcarts, such a touching moment in my life. If anyone ever gets to Casper you have to visit the Wyoming Interpretive Museum it is amazing! We also stopped at Bessemer Bed, I have met a couple who are serving at Martins Cove who are relatives of Samuel Openshaw, my great-grandmother Mary Ann Openshaw's brother. That is pretty cool we are both serving up here. We will exchange genealogy before we go home. I have been sewing like crazy, making things without patterns, I can barely sew with a pattern so it's pretty cool. Today May 19, it has been snowing ALL day. Where is spring? The Sweetwater is getting really high too. The trekkers start coming in two weeks. We are going home for two days, I have a doctor appointment to have my lung xrayed. I had a spot on one lung and the doc wants to make sure it is not changing, I am sure it's fine. It will be great to see the kids. Carrie is due in three weeks so she could have the baby at any time now, I got skype all hooked up so I can be in the delivery room! They got the new visitors center framed and the logs were delivered today so they will start putting the logs up next week. Kris and I have to speak in sacrament meeting on May 29th, not looking forward to that! Whats cool in our prayer meetings every morning is each couple had a turn of giving the Willies story and some one reads from the Willies Journal each day. So today they read what was going on May 19,1856. Tomorrow it will be May 20 and so on. It really gets you in the spirit of the pioneers, of where they were at and what they were going through 155 years ago to the day and what faith and obedience they had. Truely amazing!

Willies Sixth Crossing

We are here and I think finally settled, until the wind gusts hit and then we wonder where we will be when we look out our "prairie home" ( 5Th wheel) window! Wow has it been an experience so far. Tons of training, meetings and some awesome firesides and presentations so far. We at Willies are building a new visitors center and the men have been working so hard on it as well as putting in new "potties" in the new campground. The women have been busy making quilts and all kinds of things in the humanitarian center. Kris has been appointed over the audio-visual equipment. I have been appointed to over see the organization of sisters going in to Riverton to make lunch at the homeless shelter twice a month. We have trekked at Willies over three miles on Thursday and then at Martins Cove we trekked 5 1/2 miles. We also did a women's pull at both sites. I was ready for our P-day Saturday!! It is a sight to see so many "older" men and women pulling handcarts. I hope to get some pictures posted soon, however our Internet here has limited download capabilities unless you download between midnight and 6:00am......We are so tired when we get done with things we are in bed early! We have FHE every Monday night and game night on Sunday nights and we are getting together eating ALL the time, I came up here hoping to lose weight, I will be surprised if that happens. We have not even missed having TV. Oh and the camp dog "willie" (hmmm wonder why he was named that) anyway willie has adopted us, he sleeps outside our trailer, I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact Kris bought him hot dogs and is feeding him. We go in to either Riverton (37 miles) or Lander (39 miles) for groceries. Walmart is in Riverton that's the "hangout" for us missionaries. We go to church at the Martins Cove Branch at Martins Cove, we have to drive about 67 miles one way to church.

A New Adventure

Well it now begins.......we are about ready to head out on our mission. We will be set apart Sunday April 24th and then leave Monday April 25th. I hope to post our adventures often so please feel free to take a look. Our new address is :
Elder and Sister Wallace
4181 Highway 789
Lander, Wyoming
82520
Love to you all!

The Old Sycamore Tree

I have to tell about our European Sycamore Tree. 25 years ago when we moved into our home I wanted a fast growing shade tree so I went to the wise one, my grandpa Wright and asked for his advise. He told me the European sycamore tree is the best. I asked " isn't that the type that has the fuzzy balls on it?" "Oh no it doesn't have those." So I search high and low and found one. We planted it and it took of just as he said. It gave us shade the second year. A few years later my grandpa passed away and I was grateful for the tree to remind me of him. A year or so later we had a bad bad wind storm that blew the tree in half, we were sure it was dead and so Kris cut it down to almost nothing. Low and behold in the spring we saw life in the tree. It flourished beautifully but with one flaw, it started growing those fuzzy balls........I sure do have some things to tell grandpa when I see him again!!! We never let our kids climb it much cuz it was so fragile when they were growing up. But when the grand kids came along.....well it became the climbing tree, and we even kept a small pool ladder to help them get in the tree. Since we won't be around the tree for much longer I had to get a picture of the grand kids in the "tree". I will miss this old tree, and I hope and pray that there will be other children climbing this tree again one day, it really likes to be climbed in, I can feel it does. I know that sounds a little crazy but it is true. I love the old sycamore tree fuzzy balls and all.

Finally Finished (for now anyway)

We started this painting project about two months ago. Starting in the bathroom.....we painted tore out the old tile and layed new tile and then decided we wanted to hang bead board, I painted the cabinets and our wood medicine cabinet...because we ended up doing more than we planned it took a while. We then went on to the living room, I love my vaulted ceilings, except when it comes to painting them. We two toned paint and with a very high vaulted ceiling thats not fun. When we got into the kitchen we decided to hang bead board there as well and I LOVE it! We got the kitchen 3/4 done and it seemed like something always came up and I could never get it finished. But this last Thursday we were able to get going on it. It seems like when you start a small project it turns into something major. Carrie brought over a folding door she had in her garage she wanted to cut up for a project she was doing, well Kris wanted to paint it and put it on our pantry, but it was to small It had two beautiful etched glass pieces on it, so we figured out how to fit it on our pantry door and the results were beautiful, but it took us two days to fit, cut, glue and paint it. Then we worked on the last of the painting, and I am happy to report it is done! I want to paint my bedroom and the office but that will wait a while. Here are some pic's. I also made a tie rack and necklace holder from the slats off my old pantry door.

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

December

There are so many things to be grateful for all year but in December we reflect a little stronger and harder than normal. First I am thankful for my wonderful husband and the fact he took me and our four children to the Ogden Temple December 5, 1992 and we were sealed for all eternity. I love him with every fiber of my being. Second I am grateful for ALL my children, that includes my three daughters and thier wonderful husbands (Jen and Jim--Liz and Lon---Carrie and Brock) who are my "sons" and also my son who lives in Chicago, I miss the old Jeff very much. Then what can I say about my grandkids, just that they are perfect and it is amazing how I love them all, and can't wait for Carrie and Brock to give me more. Kris and I will be married 39 years on December 23. It has been an amazing adventure right from the begining. I love my life.

Grey's River Vacation

Just a few pic's and journal from our Grey's River Wyoming Vacation. We left home on Friday , August 7th, a day before the others and traveled to Soda Springs Idaho where we stopped to get gas at a maverick. Kris got back in the suburban and it wouldn't turn over....so...he worked on it until it started.....luckily he is a really good mechanic and can fix almost anything. We drove to Alpine Wyoming and spent the night at a RV park...our last night of civilization for a week. By the way the suburban wouldn't start again when we stopped at the RV park. . but Kris got it going...again.

Yes it was cold!

We headed out for Grey's River Saturday morning and it started to rain, and that was okay because it meant less dusty roads. Our GPS (Birdie as we call her) said we had 42 miles (of dirt roads) til the ranger cabin. My daughter and son-in-law rented the ranger cabin for the week. We usually take 110 gallons of water up with us because I HAVE to shower and shave my legs everyday! (I know TMI). There was running water at the ranger cabin this year, so our load was much lighter. The drive in was so beautiful. Kris decided to stop and check things out and turned off the engine and well guess what...yup..it wouldn't start. It was pouring rain and he had to get out and get it going... again. We got to the ranger cabin, and the rest of the group who left home Saturday morning came in a different direction got there about 10 minutes after we did. We had a great week of eating and fishing and reading (thanks Lois Lovell for the great book you loaned me) and hiking up to a beautiful lake, I might add STRAIGHT UP a mile and a half to the lake! The deer were at camp every night and most mornings. The cabin had a shower but the toilet was broke so everyone else had to use the outhouse. I was thankful for my trailer.

The deer wanted to join us for breakfast!

On our way out we got a flat tire....and the jack broke, but knowing Kris he brought another jack with us, he can fix or "McGuiver" anything!!! We lost one of the stabilizer jacks to the trailer, but our daughter was behind us and found it and picked it up for us, rough road out!! We came home and cleaned the trailer and washed clothes and then Kris and I went to Crystal Hot Springs and camped there for another four days. All the kids and grand kids came up on Sunday afternoon for dinner and I made tacos, it was fun. We finally got home Monday August 17th. Ten nights in the trailer was fun but I am so glad to be home, even though I had a trillion voice mails and e-mails to come home to!! Kris and I really had a great time!

July 4th Fun......

This is just a bit of the fun we had on the 4th... We had a great BBQ in the afternoon on our new deck. We went to Clearfield for the fireworks and the band "Imagine" (Beatles impersonators) performed and it was so much fun. My grand kids took turns spending the night this week and we made red and blue pancakes for breakfast. The video was of a dare put on my granddaughter to run across the tarp on the pool, of course she sunk, it is shaky because I was laughing so hard. The other pic's are of Carrie, Liz (my other daughter) and Lon (her husband) right after they ran a 5k in West Point on the 4th. This was Carrie's first race, good job!! The other pic's are at the West Point parade another granddaughter was in..great day, I LOVE LOVE my family!

Our New Deck!!!

Here are the pic's of our new deck...and I love it sooo much!

There is so much room, two eating areas and a sitting area. We also have an above the ground pool that the picture was too dark ( I guess I was facing the sun when I took it)

We have already had a few BBQ's and will be having lots more!

Camping Fun!

This is our Pedro we got him in Mexico

Kris and I usually go camping over Memorial but we were to busy building our new deck (thats my next post) So we left On Thursday afternoon and stayed until Monday. It rained off and on but we were able to have a fire every night. We had Hobo dinners one night and well most people roast hot dogs over the fire.....not Kirs he roasts Shrimp!

Some of the kids and grandkids came up Sunday night and we roasted hot dogs and had smores. We took our hummingbird feeder up and watched the humming birds. We had a good time and can't wait to go again.

Big Kids???!!!

Just when I thought that my two youngests daughters were all grown up!!! You gotta love it!

Just had to post this

I made Kris a nice steak dinner tonight....not really thinking he was not going to be able to cut it. He really has hated asking me to to everything for him since he got hurt, so when I saw him trying to cut the steak I HAD to take a picture. I don't know why it went blurry, I think there was a smudge on the lens. He had the fork in his mouth and the knife in his hand trying to cut the steak. I know it was one of those "you had to been there" moments but it was pretty funny.

He is having surgery April 2 so he still has at least another month of being "one handed". It has been one of those things as Elder Worthlin says, "Come what may and love it".

I am Grateful for........

Kris... and my daughters and son-in-laws and the Priesthood they worthily hold, for my friends and neighbors who listen to me and cry with me and bring food and pies and cookies , for my Father in Heaven and the love comfort and peace he gives, for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and Eternal Life. When we go through certain trials let us remember NOT to ask
WHY things happen but to ask for HELP through the trials...our Father loves us so much HE IS THERE AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL THINGS AND IN ALL PLACES!
I am grateful.

A Southern Utah Weekend

We helped my brother and sister-in-law move to St. George last weekend...it was quite a caravan, 4 cars, two trucks- one pulling a utility trailer and one pulling a travel trailer and a motor home pulling a boat! We kept up with each other really well. Only one of the trucks ran out of gas. As we pulled into the neighborhood I can only imagine what the neighbors were thinking with all the vehicles....it probably looked as if we were all moving in. We were given a free condo stay (for three nights) at the Green Valley resort/spa. It was very nice, here it is:

Just kidding, these are pictures of the rock dwellers by the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona. Beautiful area.....

these are pictures of the real condo:

It was fun, and it just so happened that several of my cousins were down there for thier annual "golfing trip". So we were able to have dinner with them and then went to their condo and visited with them one evening. Kris and I then took a drive to Lake Powell on our way home. It was really pretty but it could have been warmer! It was a really quick trip but lots of fun! Now both my brothers are living in St George, we have lots of reasons to head down south. I did have fun shopping at the outlets in St George.

Dinner with my Girlfriends!

Once a month the "girlfriends" get together and have dinner. This time we went to El Burrito in Clearfield. We have a really good time. We all worked together at one time and it is great to stay connected to them. It was Debbies B-Day...

Happy Birthday Debbie!