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Cousins Camp
I'm thinking about having several cousins together for a cousins camp sometime in the future. We would have so much fun, but it would be necessary to have some habits developed before the cousins come. I've made a list of jobs and personal habits that we all need to be able and willing to do. Eliza Jane suggested we make a chart. Just hanging this list may be enough. Whether we get to have the camp or not it will be fun working together on our habits. The cousins may be able to go together to Marine World this summer as part of our Lindsey reunion in California. Perhaps they could earn a ticket by working hard on their tasks.

To make it more fun we will ask you to try to get someone to take pictures of the kids doing the tasks listed below. Of course the reverence in church will just have to do on honor system. I will pull out one task a week or so and send a prize via mail to the person who sends a picture of doing the task I just pulled out. I will post the pictures on our blog to remind everyone of what they should be doing in our Mutual Improvement Association. Older ones with cameras can help take pictures of younger ones if they see them doing a job even though they are too young to come to camp. I think 9 years old is a good age to start coming because they are able to go to bed at night and sleep in the morning.

Jobs and Personal Habits
1. Clear the table - Bring in plates, silverware, glasses and put them in the dishwasher or wash them by hand. Wipe off the table. Sweep the kitchen floor.
2. Make Bed – Make your bed before breakfast, without even being reminded
3. Clean your room - Put away your clothes each day, and on Saturday put away all objects in your room and vacuum or sweep your floor. Remember dirty clothes go to the laundry, and clean clothes need to be put away.
4. Prayers - Say your personal prayers each morning and ask for protection from harm and evil. Also, ask for the spirit to guide you and thank God for various blessings. Also, gladly join in family prayers.
5. Bathroom manners – Flush the toilet, put the lid down, wash your hands, and hang up the towel.
6. Brush your teeth – Brush your teeth each morning and before you go to bed. If you eat or drink anything, other than water, after brushing your teeth at night, brush again.
8. Clean up after yourself – When you get things out to use, or to play with, put them away immediately when you are through, without being asked. If you make a mess, clean it up.
9. Laundry - Wash your own clothes, dry them, and then fold them, and put them away.
10. Cook – Have a favorite meal that you help cook each week. Also, you can make snacks for yourself and others. (Some ideas below)
11. Clean car – remove all the trash, and items from the car and put them away. Vacuum the car. Wash the windows. When you are big enough, you can wash the car.
12. Vacuum – Pick up and put away items left on the carpet, and then vacuum all the carpets in the house.
13. Sweep & mop – Sweep all the floors in the house that aren't carpeted. And, then mop the kitchen and entry floors.
14. Dust- Using a dust cloth, wipe all the surfaces in the front room, family room, and entry.
15. Bathrooms – Clean all bathrooms. Wipe the counters. Scrub the toilets. Scrub the bath tub or shower. Mop the floor.
16. Empty the dishwasher – Empty the dishwasher. Make sure the dishes are clean. Put each dish, pan, glass, and utensil where it belongs. If a dish doesn't get clean, wash and dry it by hand and put it away.
17. Set the table – Set the table for the whole family. Make sure that each person also has a drink. Gladly “jump up” and get any items that are needed after the family sits down for the meal.
18. Exercise - Actively exercise each day (at least 20 minutes)
19. Bed time – Get ready for bed each day, without being asked, and get to bed on time. You can read in bed but it must be quiet.
20. Save energy costs – Close the doors and windows quickly, unless your parents want them left open. Turn off lights when no one is in the room. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Avoid using too much hot water.
21. Pots and pans – Scrub pots and pans, and other utensils used to prepare a meal.
22. Reverence – Be quiet and respectful during family home evening, family prayers, and in church.
23. No Teasing or fighting or compaining and everyone is happy together working and playing.
24. Practicing talents: singing, dancing, acting, guitar, piano, flute, etc. at least 1/2 hour a day.

25. Help outside, garden , yard, etc.

Snack ideas:
Cottage cheese on club crackers with peppers or seasonings sprinkled on top
Hot chocolate
Cinnamon toast
Quesadillas
Pancakes
Eggs
Spaghetti
Tacos
Toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Chicken alfredo
Taco soup
Stuffed celery with peanut butter or cheese
Popcorn from a popper or paper bag
Brownies or cake from a mix
Cookies in bars
White Chicken chili
Taco salad
Hawaiian Haystacks

Onion rings
Other recipes that you like and email ingredients to grandma

We should get to visit you all this year!

This has been a year of baptisms and unfortunately I didn't get photos. October, Lily got baptized in Watsonville, California. In November Hyrum got baptized in Yerington , Nevada and thanks to the fact that it coincided with the reunion we all got to go. I think Craig had to work. February Sophia had her baptism in Mt. Vernon, Washington in conjuntion with Miles blessing and that was good. In May Bronson was baptized in conjuntion with other family activities like dance performances, ball games and Whitney's graduation party in St. George Washington. We will be picking up Craig in Rexburg in July and so we should finally get to visit with Grandma and Liz and Ryan's family. Next year will be Davey's baptism in Spanish Fork, Utah. We would love to see more of Marae, Ben and Nora but probably won't make it to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Elise and Ben were here to help us move in February and Ben was so busy working we didn't get to see much of him. We would love having everyone closer but in the meantime we are happy you are all raising children well and teaching them the importance of baptism into the Kingdom of God by proper authority.

Our trip to Angels camp

We met the Berhans for a few days at Angels camp to pick up Rachel for a few weeks in Nevada and Idaho. She loved spending time with her cousins mostly.

Help ! my phone is playing tricks on me!

Okay! A couple months ago I answered the phone and noone was on the other end except I heard a couple conversations with Micheline talking to a friend. I soon called her and she said she never had such a conversation. I believe she was telling the truth.

About a month ago I was looking on Craigslist for good AQHA horses with good bloodlines. I made no phone calls and only sent a couple of emails. David said he would visit us if there were some horses to look at. I got a message on my phone from a guy in Boulder City Nevada about trail horses. I called him back in response and he was simply replying to my phone call which he said I made to him. Whoa. I had not even looked on craigslist in Las Vegas area and only Reno area. I decided I must be being guided to check out these trail horses.

We went down by Las Vegas for Bronson's baptism a few weeks later. At stake conference with the Barbens the speaker told us of how her phone rang and no one was on the other end. It was only someone having a conversation. Her grandson said, "I know what that was. It was the Holy Ghost."

When we were headed back by Las Vegas on our way home from Bronson's baptism I told David we needed to go by and see this fellow. We had something in common already as he had 32 grandchildren as we did. He talked to us for a while telling us he gets our horses from a man in Kamas, Utah who gets them from ranchers and they are well broke for trail riding. He said it may be closer for us to look at horses from him and gave me the man's number.

Well, I had remembered my great grandfather Arthur Vickery was burried in Rockport, Utah
which was just up the canyon from Park City, Utah and Heber Canyon. I had wanted to take my mother to visit her grandfather's grave and we had never done it. The internet showed he and his wife were buried in Peoa cemetery. When I called the man with the horses he told me he knew where the cemetary was and in fact the horses were kept in a corral bordering the old cemetary with about 100 graves. They were out to pasture now but we could come look at them. Mother is going to St. George for a baptism and blessing and Payton's performance of Little Mermaid. We will go there another time.

Well if we are supposed to have trail horses were is that? I can only think of 2 places. One place is a ranch for sale with family reunion type accomodations. It has 4 kitchens in seperate adobe buildings. It has a swimming pool, lots of lovely trees, and fishing pond and stream and is less than 1 mile from our house. The only trouble is the ranch is going back to the county on June 6 for $35,000 in unpaid taxes. It will be off the market for about a year before it goes up to auction.

Our Trip To Virginia City

Today I, David and Craig and I went to Virginia City for a picnic and I dropped Craig and DavidDad off for the much awaited 10 mile bike ride down hill to our home. They had a nice ride home and I got to do some touring of the city by myself.

David and Craig by old restored Ward School. A couple photos are of the Louisianna Jazz restaurant where we cashed in our Christmas Coupons.

Last stop at the MacKay Mansion. The grandson of our tour guide was there and he was much interested in the play on Virginia City I have written. He had the lead singer part in the play Annie Get Your Gun. Elise and I attended right before we moved into our house. He was a very nice 17 year old. At Grandma's Fudge Shop I found out they will be hiring in a couple of weeks and hire 14 year olds and up. If you'd like scooping ice cream to a steady line of customers that go all the way out the back door you may be able to get on at $8.25 per hour. There are better paying jobs also. My favorite the Tahoe Hotel I didn't get pictures of.

The costumes for the play are coming along. It is like a community service I am working on. It will surely just be able to break even by the time the wages and expenses are paid. I hope in 4 years Virginia City will be a family orientated destination .