My Mother bought a new puppy last week! Her name is Samantha, and she is a Havanese pure bred. Her size will be 7 pounds. I think it is great for my mother to have some entertainment, company, and someone to keep her on her toes! She loves her new puppy, which is sure a cutie!
We have a field of corn across from our house this year. We raised the corn for a neighbor who has a small dairy. Which means when it comes to harvesting it, we don't do a thing! All week long we can hear the chopper....watch trucks go by, and not worry a bit. I say worry because it is a production to get that much corn harvested, and equipment always seems to break down. Instead Aaron is focused on cutting hay.
These photos by the way are from a few years ago, but since the only person who sees them is the computer I thought I would post them.(Besides remember my camera isn't working?) Aaron normally is the one on the corn chopper, so I went out one afternoon rode and took some photos. The top one is on the tops of the tall corn stocks, I was standing on the chopper and was amazed how beautiful the fields were, it is the closest thing around here to a forest.
Here is the old chopper- on the front, the two extending points cuts the stocks and in the middle they feed in then get chopped into small pieces.
Photo of the stocks feeding into the machine.
Beautiful long straight rows.
There is an arm which shoots the corn pieces out, into the back of a truck which will drive along side of the corn chopper. Does this look like equipment that might break down....from time to time? But it would surprise you the value, the cost of this equipment!
These are photos from our annual family vacation to Whidbey Island. Not too family of a vacation, since more were home than traveled......they were working with the hay or just plain working. Anyhow I went with the 2 youngest with my mother, who wanted help driving her motor-home home. 
On one of the last days that we were on the island, I was walking alone, and noticed on the sidewalk near me, some paper money. Honestly my first thought was that it was fake- since it has colors, (new bills), but I picked it up, and it wasn't.! The total was 4 $50 bills, a $10, $5, & a $1. I faithfully walked up to the police station and filed a report. They had never had such a wad! ($216.00) and I think surprised that I would file a report, instead of just keeping it! Anyhow they had to run a ad in the local paper for a few weeks, 'undisclosed amount etc.' and if it wasn't claimed in 60 days I could check back with them. Well, Finders Keepers Worked! I called and a couple weeks ago, they sent me a money order....now how about that for lucky???
Lucky Dog!
On a bench in front of a hot dog stand- one of these people is mine.
Tide flat in Coupeville- I love the buildings in this town. If you take a closer look these are muscles laying on the flats.
I went into the shop...and this is how they were when I returned...such clowns!
We were on the island earlier this summer, in June.....the flowers were lovely!
Daisies- they are a favorite of mine! The hillsides, roadsides were covered with these happy flowers!
The boys know how much I love daisies so they were showing how much they love them too!
"Lend me your ear..." notice the daisy in it? But look at the beautiful wild field!
On August 23rd, the night before the Twin Falls Temple Dedication, there was a performance of a dance. The place is at our local fairgrounds in the rodeo arena, which took some doings to make it functional! They made a huge stage, (which has the kids sitting on in the top photo, waiting for the show to begin) that was 160 by 88 feet to have an area to dance. There was also sod brought in that is around the stage. Added in one corner is a large water fall representing the Shoshone Falls. You can see all kinds of tents around in the background...it was an amazing production to put on! The youth (ages 12-18) from the 14 local stakes in the temple district are making up the dancers....that is 3,200 youth!!
By the way, you can click on these photos to be able to enlarge them!
To the right of the stage are bleachers of singers! Tearsa is in the bleachers over by the tents.
Above is the falls and the sod. It is so nice to see the arena look so green! On the back bleachers and on the grass are leadership that help put this production together. Everyone is waiting for the keynote speaker!
With the sun bright in their eyes, our prophet Thomas S. Monson has arrived. He talks to the youth, one item he mentions is the 3D's -Decision Determination Destiny. Also on the stand visiting for the weekend are, Pres. Henry B. Eyring, Elder Quintin L. Cook & Elder Claudio Costa.
After the Prophet moves to the bleachers the show begins, with the whole group (this is only part) and blue ribbons, representing water. The theme of the evening was 'Living Waters' "In Magic Valley our physical lives depend upon mountain streams, irrigation wells and the Snake River. Our spiritual lives depend upon the living water from the Savior."
O.K. is is HARD enough to find my children while they are dancing, let alone photograph them!
In the above photograph Drey is in the very back by the stage in a white shirt, off the center to the right. He is dancing with Natalie H. who is in braids, a white shirt and a light blue skirt. Did you find him? If so, then I can point out Taft, who is the couple dancing to the left of Drey. Taft is in a dark blue plaid shirt, dancing with a girl who has short hair, white shirt and another light blue skirt.
The boys are dancing a square dance, (also a line dance & two step) Drey is in one square, Taft is in another, but their squares are right next to each other....of course at the back of the stage. In the above photo Drey is in the very center, white shirt, dark hair. He stands out because of his height.
This photo was taken before the event started. Tearsa sang in the choir, which she was also able to watch the whole show. She is on the third row up, sixth person counting from the right to the left. She just got her hair cut shorter, and has her head turned.
One of the best things of the evening was the fact that we were all there! Tearsa, Drey and Taft were performing, and Aaron, I and the two younger boys, Tavin and Tilmann were sitting in the bleachers. Aaron was able to get us front row seats....which weren't too far away from the Prophet! After the show was over Tilmann walked over to where the Prophet was, and stood by his side. I hope he will always remember that.
My mother was also with us, but up higher in the bleachers. I was so grateful that she could come down and watch the event! The whole performance was so amazing!!! I also want to point out that the photos on these Temple Celebration posts were taken by three people. Aaron, with Tearsa's smaller camera, I with Tearsa's larger camera, and my mom with her camera.
Let the dancing begin! There were LOTS of dances- which were staged to celebrate the heritage and history of the area. Remember there are 3,200 youth involved in this event, with all kinds of costumes and everything fast pace...they even ran off the stage when their number was over! These photos are just a section of pictures, but not one from each dance...but hopefully it will give you an idea of what happened.
The dances paid tributes to early Native American traditions, pioneers of the west, European and Mexican immigrants who built mines and canals. Also highlighted the Big Band Era, U.s. patriotism, the 1950's and the small town country fair. They even did a dance for the famous Idaho Potato!
On the two above photos with the shovels and pickaxes you can see a screen off to the side. They had large screens on both sides of the stage area, for those too far away to see well. Also they broad casted the event to the stake centers- church buildings, not enough room for everyone to come to the fair grounds.
The Idaho potato rap dance. (above)
Remember the youth started dancing and singing back in April- spending 4 months practicing once a week, then as the event got closer, multi times a week!
The closing of the Dance Celebration was a grand ....even if I didn't want it to end! The youth came in from both sides onto the stage, with banners and flags, while the choir sang out their hearts.
Then with the youth in rows with colored flags in their hands, their flags danced....some went up, some moved down, across....it was colorful to watch as they all worked together to create rhythm. Very impressive!
What an event! I am sure my children will remember preforming in it, and doing it for the Prophet. Afterwards Aaron caught this quiet moment, with the beauty of the clouds.
Tilmann & his pig Gobber. Tilmann's pig won First in his Class, overall placing 12th. Tilmann also placed 4th in his class for showmanship. Showmanship is judged on how they show their pig, not the quality of the pig. All the boys were able to get their pigs penned. Which means the jugde takes the top half of the showman and has them put their pigs in the pen, and then send the second half of showers back to the barn. 
Tavin and his pig Obama. (mostly black with a little white and the worse of the bunch) Obama injured the pad of his foot the night before so Tavin was showing a limping pig. The pig was good quality like his brothers. Tavin's pig placed 4th in his class, overall 42nd. Tavin was able to place 2nd in showmanship in his class. I love this photo for he is so involved on keeping an eye on the judge.
By the way the placement of these pigs is for selling purposes. There was 387 pigs that weighed into the fair.(That is A LOT of PIGS!) Some kids bring spare pigs, but can only sell one, or there are many who don't make weight, which can't be sold either. They sold 147 pigs....so with that in mind, being 42 doesn't seem so far down on the list!
Taft and his pig Bob won First in his Class. Then went on to show and made 2nd in his Division. He then had his pig chosen as Reserve Champion Market Swine....which is 2nd place overall. Grand moment for us! Happy that my mother was able to be there watching. Taft was placed 5th in his class in showmanship.
When the boys are showing their pigs, the show ring has at least a dozen or more pigs and kids....kind of difficult. Here is a photo of Taft and the neighbor boy Charles, they grew up together....born just a month apart.
Drey and his pig Fatty (weighing a couple pounds more than the brothes pigs at 284). Drey's pig placed First in his Class, and went on to place 2nd in his Division. His pig placed 5th. For showmanship Drey placed 7th in his class. His pig wasn't behaving very well, making things difficult.
Drey talking with the judge, Rex from Iowa. When they pen their pigs, the judge will go around and ask them questions. We really liked this judge, he judged well, and instead of making the kids feel bad on what they did wrong, he would point out things that they could do to improve. He was impressed with our sons and their pigs. 
Days are long at the fair...are we having fun yet? The boys & Aaron spent the nights at the fair in the back of a Horse Trailer. Air mattress and even a home-made hammock. They made due, for they had to be up in the pig barn by 6 a.m. cleaning out the pigs pens. I would arrive later and bring breakfast & lunch (most days), they also had an assortment of junk food in the trailer.
The last contest with the pigs is a Pen of Five. Here each 4H Group can get their best selection of pigs, also the ones that are most uniform to each other. This was Aaron's grand moment, since the group choose 5 of our 6 pigs (we brought 2 spare pigs) and then WE WON the showing! Which means money for our club for a pizza party! We had GREAT PIGS THIS YEAR! (This is our pen in the barn afterwards, moving all the pigs into one pen)
Another shot of our Amazing Pigs!
Here is Taft with his trophy & metals for his Reseve Champion Market Swine.