Lake Powell Trip #1 - May 19 - May 24 (Theron's 63rd Birthday)

Where the mine was the memory trip for our kids as they were growing up, Lake Powell is not the memory trip each year for the kids and grandkids.  For the last three summers, we have had the perfect spots; can't believe it.  For over 30 years our group looked for these kinds of spots and could find only a few.  Hope our luck holds out in July when we go again.  We had a sandy beach, a shallow play pool, rocks to jump from and perfect hook-ups for the jet skis.

This trip we had Melanee's parents, Chrystal and Zoonie McLean and Melanee's good friend Jamie and her two boys Seose and Dillon.  Adrian, Todd, Cameron, Taylor, Curt and Melanee round off the rest of our group.  Scott and Marianne towed their boat down and hooked it up as an extension of the houseboat.  They brought their daughter Julie and three young granddaughters.  (Marianne was tired after this trip.)

The weather was a little bit of everything - sun, wind, rain, cloudy with a chance of sun, and pleasant.  This early in the season you never know what the weather will be or what the water will be like.  It was cold, about 60-65 degrees.  A little too cold for my body but the kids all played in it from sun-up to sun-down.  They used the paddle board, the long board, the kayak, the jet skis and all manner of buckets and shovels.

It should be noted that Theron celebrated his 63rd birthday this week.  This is how he celebrated - installing new battery boxes and hiding in the lower level all day. That night, he did get to wear a balloon birthday hat.

I have to comment that it is rather a joy to go on these trips with our children.  It's fun and it's a time to just sit back, read, and talk.  What can be better than that.

A Grand Trip to Moab - Beautiful Red Rock Country

May was a great month to go to Moab and the company was excellent - Scott and Marianne Robison stayed with us in our fifth wheel and Steve and Jackie camped in their fifth wheel.  Scott has a large trailer that held all the 4-wheelers and us and Duerdens carried our bikes.  Each day was a little bit of joy enjoying all the things about Moab.  The flowers and cactus were in full bloom, the desert was truly blossoming.

The first day Steve arranged with his friends, the Knowles, a 4-wheeling trip across the red rocks, to tunnel springs and beyond.  It was a great trip, a little windy, but that kind of helped blow the dust away from us as we followed along wagon train style.  Don't know how the pioneers stood all the dust in their eyes, hair and teeth.  Things got a little crazy when we were on the slick rock and Steve was trying to be macho by climbing hills that should be walked.  No one was hurt, it was a successful day.

The next day it was off to hike Corona Arch and see the splattered blood pools.  This is the arch that people swing from.  It was overcast and windy so I think that was why we didn't have entertainment - yea right, no one wants to splatter again like the last guy that tried it.

If you lose your way, stack rocks.  Everyone else has.

The next day it was off to Arches to ride the bikes.  Our initial goal was to ride all the way into and out of Arches on the bikes.  That didn't happen.  We drove to the last group of arches - double O and Landscape.  From there, Jackie and I took a short hike to Landscape.  Theron and Steve started down the road riding their bikes and we were supposed to pick them up down the hill.  Well, Theron had a better idea.  They found a dirt trail that led down so it was talk Steve into mountain biking with his coaster bike.  They rode from the top of Arches to the road leading up to Dead Horse Point.  Jackie and I picked up our bikes at  Arches main parking lot and road the 10 or so miles to meet them.  All total, Theron road about 50 miles that day.  What a stud.

That's the end of the trip, it was a short one, but packed full of activity.  Not bad for a group of "young" senior citizens.  Oh, you have to have the token flat tire on the way home.  Glad it was Scott.

Easter and Spring

The month of April always brings Easter.  Which means that spring is on the way, the trees are budding and it's a time to refresh and renew.  I love the spring; it's so pretty when the trees leaf out and the tulips and crocus bloom.  

For us this year, it meant cutting down three large trees in the back yard, the ward priests hauling the wood down and Theron and I hauling the wood to Kendall's and the branches to the dump.  We are too old for this much work, perhaps next year we will see about getting a home with a smaller yard.  We also worked one week on remodeling the garden - building another level on the grow boxes and putting new dirt and manure in them.  As Theron says, "We've spent our $100 for the twelve tomatoes we will get."  The garden is important because you never know when you will need to grow your own food.

Pay attention children, we may (or may not) move.  We are breaking it to you gently not like telling Garret that Dawain and Jana were getting their house ready to sell.  Things change and we may do so, also.

Now, that being said, it was a wonderful Easter with all of you here at our house for dinner and an small Easter egg hunt.  This year it was dollars in the eggs and very little candy.  I'm sure the young ones - Mason, Ali and Tyce - don't have a clue what to do with a few dollars, but their parents do.

Now what do I do, both hands are full!

I love seeing our children sit around the dining table and chatting.  It brings warmth to my heart and tears to my eyes.  I love you all so much.

Easter is more than the bunny and the eggs, it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the atonement, the new life it gives to all of us, and the love of a Heavenly Father being renewed in our hearts. Kisses, Mom

A Jamaica Kingston Mission Reunion

On Friday, April 11, a large group of returned Jamaica Kingston missionaries gathered together in Salt Lake.  President and Sister Hendricks were up from Texas attending to some family activities and what a special time to see them again and here President Hendricks instruct us -- remember, we are the salt of the earth and we need to remain true to our covenants through upcoming perilous times.

It was a great time to re-meet with all our senior couple friends and to make new friends of the senior couples that came after we left.  The news of the day was that on June 7 and 8 they are creating a stake in Jamaica!!!  The fruits of President Hendricks labors and all the full-time missionaries.  We feel we contributed a little in that about 70% of our food projects are still operating.  This gives a boost up to the members and some financial help.  The sad news is that Duane Martin our former Kingston Branch president has fallen away; he was excommunicated for misuse of Church funds.  However, his wife is planning on attending the Temple and finally receiving her endowments.  There are just too many happy and sad times in this small country.

Pat Apgood, Sorensons, Shirlene Daniels

Our good buddies Ross and Gail Cheesman

May of the elders brought their wives, girl friends and fiancees.  They are progressing.  It was marvelous to see Sister Wilkinson again and she is doing so well.  Elder and Sister Flake had just finished the MTC on Friday and were able to attend as they now prepare to journey to Hannibal, Missouri, for their third full-time mission.

Our Mandeville buddies Jack and Fran Anderson

Judy and Gary Coleman

The senior missionaries

Getting together with the missionaries that we served with was a wonderful renewing experience for us.  We love all of them and have such fond memories.  A special guest was Elder Coleman and his wife Judy.  We love them for the strength they had to make the changes in the mission that moved it along.

A Wedding for Kendall

On April 10, 2014, Aubrianna (Katiann's daughter) was married in the Salt Lake Temple.  Kendall was one proud grandfather and father.  He has worked so hard over all these years holding this family together and on this day he had three daughters who could attend the Temple and one granddaughter.  That's quite an accomplishment for him; we hope all remains well with each family.

It was a beautiful wedding and one of the highlights was getting a picture of Theron and Kendall and several that included their special sister Neala.  As Neala said, "I didn't have to share my brothers with the other two sisters today."  


Every time Theron puts on his suits I marvel at how good he looks.  He only improves with age!
This is a unique picture and probably the first one that I've seen of just Kendall and Theron together.  There is 18 year difference in their ages and Kendall takes after the Schaefermeyer side with Theron taking after the Jones side.  Most think it's father and son, but we know differently.

Houseboat Repair Week

Theron is the president of the houseboat this year and as such is responsible to get some needed repair work accomplished.  He took two new engines down a few weeks ago and on April 5, we (Collin and Kathy and Scott and Marianne) traveled to Lake Powell to put the boat in the water and try out the engines.  The day we left was very cold and you know it's going to be a cold trip when you start off with snow on the jet skis.  The snow didn't even leave them until we got to Hanksville.





Sounds easy, but the week was spent fixing batteries, changing lights to LEDs, cleaning, throwing away and more throwing away all the junk that had been left on the boat for years, power washing and finally on Tuesday we got to try out the engines.

They work great and move that boat along.  We traveled just a few miles down the lake and parked on a nice sandy beach.  They synchronized the engines and all is now working well.

It was a week of survival for Theron and I.  I was just getting over an ear infection and sinus congestion and could hardly stand to work for more than an hour at a time.  Theron was just as sick with a cold and sinus congestion.  No matter, we made it, the boat works and we'll be going down a couple more times to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

A special thanks to Scott, Marianne, Collin and Kathy.  What great friends.

Just a little side note, Craig and Judy were supposed to go with us but Craig hurt his back.  While we were gone, Judy had a relapse and spent her time in the hospital getting fluid drained from her body and getting her breathing under control.  She has been one sick woman this year and we wish her a good recovery.

Cameron Todd Paschal, age 12

On March 20, 2014, Cameron turned 12.  This is a special birthday for every young man and woman in our Church.  Cameron was ordained on Sunday, March 23, with our entire family and most of Paschal's there.  We filled the classrooms at the Church.

A few weeks before, Cameron and I were traveling to Mr. Mac's to pick out a suit.  Cameron told me he didn't want me to be sad, but as soon as he could go to the Temple he was going to do baptisms.  (Meaning, if I wasn't there, he was going anyway; he was not waiting.)  Well, Sunday afternoon just after his ordination, he was in the Bishop's office getting his recommend.  Mutual had been cancelled for Tuesday, so he announced to everyone - Tuesday, I'm going to the Temple.

Theron and I were able to drive down and witness this historic event in our family.  Again, my heart was full.  This is what you raise children for - to give you spiritual blessings that can come in no other way.  We watched as Todd baptized Cameron for members of our family.  Adrian was also baptized and confirmed for others that same night.

The highlight was ice cream after at Baskin Robins and to listen to Cameron tell Taylor about the experience and the size of the baptismal font and that the oxen were white and not gold, and on and on.  The warm spiritual feeling will stay with me for a long time.

Congratulations Cameron and may you continue to have such a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!