Kittens

I think I mentioned earlier that our outdoor cat princess passed away this past spring.  She was a perfect cat.  She adopted all my neighbors and she took care of all the mice, rats, squirrels, and birds that dared to come in our yard.  We made it 3 months without an outdoor cat but with in a few weeks of princesses death rats started showing up.  I fought the rodents for several weeks.  I caught a couple but they seemed to be appearing faster than I could catch them.  I put a couple cameras in the chicken coup and each morning I would watch the rats get bigger and bigger.  They would look at my traps and just avoid them.  I gave in.  I told Ila, let's go to the humane society and look for the wildest cats we can find.  Two cats ended up choosing us before we could choose them.  I didn't want to get two black cats but they were the most energetic.  Ila hasn't ever had kittens so she loved this adventure.  

We named them Skipper and Mogli.  They are actually really good cats, very loving and have already started catching rats! 

One of the problems with cats is keeping their food away from Rebel.  I decided to build the cats a house where we could keep their food and where they could stay warm in the winter.  

Maybe I went a little over board on the cat house but it works great!  

 

Special summer

This summer we took the youth to the temple every week on Thursday morning at 7am.  After which we would go to bishops house for breakfast.  One week I hosted breakfast and each of his counselors took a turn. 

It was always hard to get up on Thursday morning but it was awesome being in the temple each week. 

Our baby chicks are laying eggs! Each week we were collecting more and more eggs.  

We sat on a neighbors deck for a fire work show this year.  As you can see, they have an amazing view!!!

 

3rd times a charm

 I’ve been trying to update my blog while waiting in the car or at random times during the day, unfortunately, I have written several posts and they never saved.  So I will once again try to type this post.  

This july was much different than the years past.  We typically spend a lot of time in Island Park during July.  This year our cabin was rented the majority of July so we weren’t able to use it.  The boys are living their lives and Ila had a job so it’s not the same going to IP without our kids.  

June and July were months when the Lord prepared me for a new calling I would be receiving shortly during the month of June, I started feeling the impression that I would soon be called to be young women’s president. I was so confident about this calling that we ended up exchanging my car for a little bit bigger vehicle so that I could have more passengers I’ve been in with the young women for the past five years so I know them all really well and I love them each individually so it’s easy to accept the calling because I already love the girls, but at the same time as a parent, feeling completely in adequate right now, and so the thought of having such a huge influence on the youth is terrifying. in the beginning of July, the Bishop called me in and sure enough called me to be the new young women’s president we were going to girls camp that week and he wanted to give me the week or so to think about who I would have as counselors. It was interesting at young women’s camp because my original thought was to find those that could be most helpful for the girls, but as girls can’t plan on, I realized that there were some leaders that were needed because they needed the girls as much or more than the girls needed them. I also started to look for people that would be good at balancing my weaknesses.

Anyway, let’s pause for a minute and remember girls camp this year we went to a camp on the border of Wyoming and Utah. It was a beautiful location but it had pit toilets. I draw the line at pit toilets when it comes to camping. Thankfully, I survived.

Girls camp was really good. There were lots of challenge courses. The weather was really nice except for at night. It got a little bit chilly. I really didn’t prepare for the cold weather because when you go camping in July, it’s rare that you need a jacket. There wasn’t enough room in the cabins for our ward so we had to bring up some tents to pitch and the Leader stayed in the tent along with a few girls. I thought I was going to freeze to death but again I survived. I really enjoy being able to go to camp with Ila and to be part of that experience with her.

After returning from girls camp, I was able to sit down with the Bishop and go through the ward. Trying to decide who could Counselor would be actually the first counselor that I decided on I knew would be my counselor before I even was called to be in women’s President. It was interesting because this individual I did not even know I’ve never really talked to her, but I knew without a doubt that she needed to be in my president presidency so it was a little bit scary, submitting her name because the last time I submitted names for a presidency it was the state primary presidency, and my counselor ended up being very difficult.the second Counselor Came to me at girls camp. I feel very confident that this these are the women the Lord wanted to be part of this presidency.

Summer 2025

Avram friends are slowly returning from missions and different adventures.  Its fun to see them and to watch them become husbands and fathers. 

Ila has her first job.  She is working at Arctic Circle.  It’s been good to keep her busy this summer and yet it isn’t too difficult to get time off so it hasn’t hindered any vacations.  She calls us nearly every time she has a 30 min break so we can come over and hang out with her.  Her managers talked to us one day and told us how much they love Ila.  They said she is great at taking charge and getting things done instead of standing around when things slow down.  They said, “we just need her to turn 16 sooner so we can give her more responsibilities.” 

Adam had to get his knee scoped this summer.  He was super disappointed it cut into the golf season.  He did admit that the rest time has helped some other aches and pains heal up.  This is a bruise from the surgery that he is still fighting with after nearly two months.  It turned into a super bad rash. ?

We are still working on finishing up the 3rd cabin in island park.  

We are for sure selling this cabin so I decided to take the real estate classes and get my real estate license so I could represent the sale of this cabin and save us some money.  

Ila and Pearl went to FSY together this year.  They went to UVU.  It sounds like it was a great experience…if you went with the correct attitude.  Im not sure Ila enjoyed it as much as she could have, had she been more engaged.  

That pretty much raps up June.  

Summer is underway

 

The first picture just makes me smile so I had to add it.

I found that Spiderman boogie board in the shed, when I was cleaning it out this spring.  I saw the swim suit multiple times at Sams club and I finally broke down and bought it.  That boy is ready for summer!

This spring I have done a lot of improvements on the yard.  We had this extra space behind the shed that we left like this so we could make a dog run but our dogs won't even walk back there because they are terrified at the thought of being left alone.  

I built a roof on the back of the shed so we could use it for storage space.  I need to get some metal roofing from Adam sometime to put over the top.  

The big news this week was that our nephew, Spencer Slocum, got married.  He is 19 and his wife is 20.  They are so young, but she has been so good for him and they are a great couple.   

This week Adam had surgery.  He got a scope on his knee.  They told him that he would be able to put full weight on his knee right after surgery so he could "walk out of the hospital" 

When they said walk out, I think he was expecting some pain but to have the ability to walk for the most part.  It was eye opening for him when he realized just because they say he can put weight on his knee, it doesn't mean he will be able to walk around.  The first day was difficult to get around but he is improving each day and he is trying to be patient so the recovery will be quick.