Family Camp

This month we participated in Family Odyssey.  This is a family camp for families of those participating in Timberline and other training groups.

I volunteered to come help on staff for Family Odyssey so we could have some time with my parents.   Here are some pictures of our time.

While we were gone, Dan built this gate for the top of the stairs to the basement.  I love how it turned out!

We saw lots of deer at camp.  This is from one of our little walks and the deer is at the top of the hill.

On Monday night after the campfire program, the kids and I were walking back to the truck to go back to camp and Irene slipped and cut her head open.  No stitches, and she was a trooper while Papa Jack and others worked on her.

Ruth and Irene crashed for a nap one day.

We had some special visitors from movies in camp.

I worked with Miss Amy and the Shining Stars (ages 2-4 yr olds)  Miss Amy was amazing with the little kids!

We got a kiddy pool towards the end.  The kids loved cooling off.

Another of our visitors.  I did not get pictures with Megamind

The kids having fun with marshmallow shooters and some of the camp staff joined us.

Dillon's age group made cardboard boats  with cardboard and duck tape.  He was so funny crying to me that his boat wouldn't win.  Guess what it did win!  He had so much fun!

We are all tired coming home after being gone for a week, and we brought home an extra with us.  My younger sister Wendy went to Mississippi to help my baby sister Alysha when she had her baby girl this last week.  So we got one of her kids while she is gone.  Rivers will be with us for a few more days.  The kids have been enjoying having a baby around.

So until next time!

Home Improvement in progress

Well we are slowly, but surely working on one project at a time.  Our current project will take us a few weeks as we are buying the supplies a little at a time.  

As we looked at our deck we knew that we needed to get it treated before winter this year.  So we bought some special deck paint to get us started.

As we spent some time outside one night looking at the deck and talking about what we want to do over time, we realized that the reason our steps felt unsafe was because the stair tresses were broken. 

So we decided that if we were going to fix the stairs then lets move them to a different spot, which I think will make the deck a little bit more useful, as with the way it was set up it felt chopped.  So we have started on working on the deck but it will be a few weeks before we can finish it so stay tune for more work in progress.

Our sad deck

our old stairs

We took the rail down so we can put the new stairs right here.

The first coat of the new stain.  It will take a few more coats.

We will also be painting the front door and the shutters on the front of the house this same color.

Watch more more pictures as we do more work!

Changes...

6 months ago Dan and I were asked to teach the CTR 6 class in primary.  This is the 6-7 yr olds at church.  Then a month ago we were asked to teach the CTR 7 which is the 7-8 yr olds.  We have enjoyed teaching both of these classes.  Today was my last day teaching the class.  Dan will teach next week.

I have been called to serve as the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society (If you want to know more go here. )

Today we had fun talking about missionaries and we played a fun game called pin the tag on the missionary.  Here is a picture of our game.

I am excited, scared, and nervous about the new calling I have been asked to do, but I will do it with all that I have.  I am looking forward to serving with some amazing women and look forward to learning from them.

So for now that is the changes in our household.  Until next time!

4th of July

This year's 4th of July had many 1st things.  I have never been brave to try and take the kids to parades and such.  It just seemed to big of a challenge to do and the kids were so little.  But deep down I have wanted to get more involved in the communities we have lived in going to the community events.  Now that we have a house we get a monthly newsletter with our water bill each month that tells us what is happening, so we have started to go to different things.

This year we got the kids up really early and got ready to go to the church breakfast they were doing at 7am.  We went and had lots of yummy food!  Thanks Tooele 26th Ward for an amazing breakfast!

Then we went to the city parade.  We have never taken the kids to a parade before.  They collected at least 2 lb bag of candy!  We had a lot of fun.  After the parade we walked down the block to the city park and participated in some of the other events they had and we got lunch at the local Elk Lodge booth.

Kids with their flags! 

Waiting for the parade to start, the candy they got and a picture of the school color guard, which made me think of my sister when she use to do it!

Dillon ate the whole thing he was covered in Cotton Candy!

Pictures of the parade and events after.

We had a lot of fun going to the fireworks!  Dan did not join us as he had to go to work early this morning.  The kids were asleep in the car right after I started driving. 

We had so much fun this year that we are excited for the next community event to get involved in.

We hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Love the DnA Burke Family