Will's 100 Western States Ultra-Marathon

In June Mom, Dad, Sitani and I went to Lake Tahoe area to see Will take off on the Western States 100 mile ultra-marathon. This was his 2nd 100 miler, but the first time in this race. It's a lottery draw to see who get's in and he got picked! People come from all over the world to run through the Sierra's. It's one of the oldest ultra's around.

He left at 5 am and ran all day. He met up with his pacer and ran throught he night.

We met them along the route for quick hellos and good job cheers.

Like I said, quick. They were in and out.

This was Sitani's first big trip with Grandma & Grandpa. Let's just say he got to go to McDonald's more than once.

The ever supportive and loving wife, Jenni with baby Taylor.

Jenni is an all-around gem. She was busy making our "crew" shirts, running last minute errands, juggling babies, naps an everything else that goes with the spouse role. We love her for being such a great mom to her boys and wife to our brother Will.

Look what Sitani found at the gas station. Hello Uncle Mark! Wish you were here...

Making Blackberry Pie with Omaei & Kalani

Uncle Mark and Aunt Peggy brought the girls up for a weekend visit. I got them for the day while they did a session in the new Rexburg Temple. We kept busy in the kitchen with some of my best recipies. Yum, blackberry pie.

(We're not sure how Kalani got so much flour on herself.)

Omaei was recently baptized. I got to speak at her baptism, a highlight for me. Here she stirs the chicken enchilada makings.






These two sisters are close. I enjoyed spending time with them. It will be fun to watch them as they grow into young ladies.

Bambourgh Castle, England

Apparetently Bambourgh Castle is reported to be haunted. There are several stories of ghost encounters. One of the daughters of a nobleman committed suicide at a young age by jumping off the outerwall when she was forbidden to marry her love. There's more to the story than that but she has beem reported to be seen on the grounds and has been heard crying in the hallways. It was a little spooky at times. I found myself checking corners and getting nervous when the others went ahead of me on the self guided tour... So unlike me.

The lighting wasn't very good for pictures but I took some anyway of the tapesties, french furniture and other luxuries of their day, including a fridge.

View of Grace's Island from the castle.

Gracie Darling is a story of a young Lighthouse Keeper's teen daughter who rows out to a shipwreck in all heroics during a violent storm. She saves the lives of a few dozen people. She has gone down in history as a true English legend.