CATCHING UP! August and September 2008

Has it been seven months since Romania?? It's hard to believe we've been home that long but it's true! It's surprising how long it takes to get yourself settled and organized in a new life again but we can now say that we are finally there. Recently someone told me they had checked our blog many times and if they looked again and saw me one more time in the bathtub they might have to do something drastic! I was very surprised as I didn't think anyone would care that much about checking my blog once our mission was over. But hey, if even one person is interested then.....I'M BACK! I am going to do a quick "catch-up" of the months from August 2008 through January 2009. After that, I will try to be a little more detailed and do a better job. However, they say pictures are worth a thousand words so, if you like, scroll through the following pictures and you will get the highlights of our last few months. I'm starting with the first part of August, 2008 . . . . .
You can tell we are home....back to the family reunions! This month we attended the Benjaman Ashby family reunion and got to renew friendships with John's counsins and Aunts and Uncles.In the middle of August, The Manti Temple was the site of our neice, Dawn Ashby's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and John's family were in attendance.
John is here with his twin sister, Kelly, his older sister Marian and Marian's husband, Wes Johnson.
The Wedding party!
On August 11th, 2008 all of our family went to Island Park, Idaho for a family vacation. We had a blast. We floated the Snake river, road our motorcycles and four-wheelers, hiked, cooked out, visited Yellowstone and Old Faithful, and just had some great family time together. There was one sad experience that put a damper on the trip. While driving into West Yellowstone a motorcyclist, while traveling very fast, crashed into a car behind us, flew 100 feet into the air and hit the side of the road onto a piece of lawn. John and I and Nikki and Bart quickly stopped and went to help the man. We did all we could until the paramedics arrived but he died shortly after they picked him up. He was well known in the auto racing world and it was sad news when it got out. This was a very sobering experience for us and one we won't forget.
Sheila, my sister, and her husband Dan White visited us from Canada and were able to go on this trip with us. Here they are exploring the Snake River.Nikki
Sara and Hannah prefer the tube to the row boat.
This trip brought lots of smiles and Char gives us a big one.This day was a big one for Charly and Grandpa.Here we are at Big Springs, standing at the head of the Snake River. It's a beautiful spot and the water bubbles out of the ground, cold and clear.The mountain climbing caravan!

Bart and his two babies.....Charly and his Rhino!Almost on the Two Top mountain....
You can't have a big group without something breaking down....Jeremy lost his motorcyle and we loaded it up on the back of Joe's four-wheeler.....we got it out!John and I walk with the Hiner family on the board-walk through the Yellowstone Hot Pots.
Bart, Nikki, Hannah, Nicolas and Charly.Old Faithful still be "old faithful"!Charly plays with the bears!NikkiDan and Sheila....the cabin cooks!Anna White and her "wolf"!
The Sturdy Family reunion!
Joe and his fishin' boat.
On August 30, 2008, John performed the wedding ceremony of our neice, Jody Sturdy and Ray O'Connor. It was held in the forest by the Columbia River in Washington. It was really fun to be a part of their special day.Jody and Ryan listen intently to the seriousness of the covenant they are making with each other.

They are very happy and excited about this new life they have started together.
The bridesmaids were Ryan's and Jody's sisters, and of course, Jody's dog.
This is Jody and Ryan with their parent's.
This photo is Joe and Pauline's whole family.
During the month of September we all worked hard on remodeling and fixing up the house we just bought. We changed all the flooring, a fireplace, two bathroom and the kitchen. It was a lot of work but worth it in the end. Here Danny cleans up some of the fireplace mess.
The kitchen has new appliances and countertops, hardward and dark wood trim here.
The back yard of our house.
My dad, Joe Sturdy, is an expert on American History and the Civil War. He has won National Gun competetions and even restored a Mormon Battalion gun for Pres. Hinckley's son.
In September, John and I, my brother Joe and his wife, Pauline met dad in Nephi, to commemorate and dedicate a monument to our war veterans. They asked dad to bring his cannon and represent past veterans in American History. He didn't blow off the cannon (like he has many times while I was growing up) but he answered a lot of questions and was a hit with the townsfolk. He was also commissioned by another town to build them a cannon for their city building. Joey and John look over the cannon in this photo.
I loved the flag waving off to the side with dad and the cannon in the back ground. So many people have given so much to make America what it is today and we can never be grateful enough.
In these photos dad is having a lot of fun sharing his knowledge of past wars and their big guns!